Forensic Engineering
What failed,
and why.
Failure investigation and expert analysis for collapses, water damage, construction defects and insurance claims. Findings you can stand behind.
Forensic engineering is the discipline of investigating failures. Something moved, cracked, leaked or came down, and the question is what caused it, which usually turns into the question of who is responsible for it.
That makes the work adversarial by nature, and it puts a particular obligation on the engineer: the conclusion has to follow the evidence, and it has to survive being tested by somebody paid to dismantle it.
Method over conclusion
Evidence is documented before it is disturbed, alternative explanations are considered rather than assumed away, and the report distinguishes clearly between what was observed, what was measured and what was inferred.
The perspective helps here
Having worked as owner, contractor and consultant makes construction defect analysis substantially more grounded. Knowing how the work is actually sequenced and installed is what separates a defect from ordinary tolerance.
Investigations undertaken
- Structural collapse and partial failure
- Construction defect analysis and workmanship disputes
- Water intrusion and the structural damage that follows it
- Storm, wind, snow, impact and fire damage causation
- Insurance claim support for insurers, policyholders and counsel
- Foundation and settlement disputes between neighbouring properties
- Failed repairs, where an earlier fix did not hold
Common Questions
Straight answers
Do you work for insurers or for policyholders?
Both, and that is the point. The methodology does not change with the client. A conclusion that only works for whoever is paying is worthless the first time it gets tested.
How quickly do you need to look at it?
As early as possible. Evidence degrades, gets cleaned up, repaired or thrown away, and a site visit before remediation is worth far more than photographs afterwards.
Do you provide expert witness testimony?
Investigation and reporting are the core service, and the scope of any litigation support is agreed case by case.
Can you determine whether damage was caused by a specific storm?
Often, yes. Damage character, direction, age of the failure surfaces and correlation with recorded weather data all contribute to distinguishing event damage from pre existing deterioration.
Something failed and the site is still intact?
Call before it gets cleaned up. That window closes fast.