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Recent Blog Posts

When Wet Isn't Really Wet (Part 1)

EDT

It has been common in the past to assume that water and electrical equipment do not mix. However, just because a piece of electrical equipment, such as an electrical panel or a computer, gets wet doesn't mean that it needs to be replaced.

Freeze Seals

EDT

It is common knowledge that freezing water can fracture pipes; however, did you know it can also save the day?

Diesel Fire Pump Damages

Diesel engines are a rugged and reliable choice for propulsion and power generation. In applications where electricity is not available or may be disrupted, a Diesel engine is a good choice for providing an alternative to an electric motor for pumps. Why, then, do so many Diesel engines with...

Pigs may not fly yet, but COW’s do!

EDT

Beyond the obvious engineering applications or the occasional mention of a pizza or package delivery that most of us continually hear about, what sort of crazy, perhaps brilliant, drone applications have industrious problems solvers come up with? The following are three of my favorites.

Condensate Drainage

To understand proper condensate removal, it is first important to have a working definition of the term condensate in the context of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). Most HVAC systems contain a form of refrigeration cycle which uses mechanical work acting on a fluid (in most cases...

Snow Loads

EDT

Freshly fallen snow is often a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight to see. Some parts of the country may see new snow daily while other areas may only see it once a century. Regardless of how prepared our cities are, snow can have a great impact on our everyday lives, particularly on our structures...

Fractures (part 1)

Our Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is capable of 100,000X magnification, allowing a close-up look at material surfaces for defects, inclusions, and fracture characteristics. By using a SEM/EDS to study the surface of the fracture, the question of how the part broke - or the mode of fracture -...

Computer Graphics

EDT

Computer graphics are visual communication tools to aid an audience in visualizing data in a clear and interesting manner, compared to text or oral communication alone. Within this article are examples of how EDT uses Computer Graphics for Forensic Engineering purposes.

Storm Damage to Roof of Religious Facility

EDT

EDT was asked to determine the scope of storm-related damage to a religious facility that claimed in excess of five million dollars of damage. The following information is a review of the case, and what EDT found was the actual cause of damage.

Food Processing Facility Construction Defect

EDT

EDT was asked to review the construction of a multimillion-dollar addition to a food processing facility and to determine the cause of water penetration through the floors of the facility. The following information is a review of what we found that went wrong, and what we concluded to "solve" this...