Knowra Forensic engineering Forensic engineering Forensic engineering applies engineering principles to investigate failures, accidents, and other events, often to identify causes and provide evidence for legal proceedings.
Failure analysis : The systematic examination of how and why a component, system, or process failed. It supplies the general methods used to identify failure modes and causes.
Building collapse : The partial or total loss of structural capacity in a building, causing substantial deformation or falling components. Collapse investigations connect design, construction, material, and loading evidence.
Hyatt Regency walkway collapse : The 1981 collapse of suspended walkways at a Kansas City hotel, which killed 114 people. The investigation traced the collapse to a consequential change in connection design.
Henry Petroski : An American engineer and historian who wrote extensively about engineering design and failure. His work explains how failures reveal limits in design assumptions and practice.
Safety engineering : The engineering discipline focused on identifying hazards and reducing risks in systems. Safety engineering aims to prevent harm; forensic engineering examines events after they occur.
Root cause analysis : A structured process for identifying the underlying causes of an unwanted event or problem. Investigators distinguish initiating events from deeper design, maintenance, or organizational causes.
Bridge failure : The loss of a bridge's ability to carry intended loads safely. Bridge failures require reconstruction of structural behavior, deterioration, and maintenance history.
Ronan Point : A 1968 partial collapse of a London residential tower after a gas explosion damaged a load-bearing wall. Its investigation highlighted progressive collapse risks in large-panel construction.
William LeMessurier : An American structural engineer known for identifying and addressing a serious wind-load vulnerability in Citicorp Center. His case illustrates an engineer's responsibility to investigate and disclose a discovered hazard.
Reliability engineering : The discipline concerned with the probability that systems perform required functions over time. Reliability analysis predicts performance, while forensic work explains specific failures.
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