An Overview of Forensic Structural Engineering

Abstract

Forensic structural engineering has, in some countries, become and, in some others, is evolving into a designated field of professional practice of determining the causes of structural failures and identifying the parties responsible. The practice involves engineering investigations, rendering opinions and, if required, giving expert testimony in judicial proceedings. Whether they occur during construction or during their service lives, failures of constructed facilities are almost always followed by engineering investigations and resolution of claims. As the findings inevitably create claims of damage and often result in disputes and legal entanglements, the forensic structural engineer operates in an adversarial environment and therefore needs not only to be able to perform the necessary investigations but also to have an understanding of the ins and outs of the practice of forensic engineering–which this paper intends to enhance. This paper is an overview of the professional practice of forensic structural engineering and includes discussions of: what structural failure is, origins and causes of failures, types of cases of failures, importance of codes and standards, the standard of care for design professionals and duty to perform for constructors, brief outline of the process of forensic investigation, with references to detailed publications, meaning and importance of “reasonable degree of engineering certainty,” forms of dispute resolutions, who is and what the role of an expert consultant/witness is, a brief look at how the practices differ in various IABSE countries, and selected reference literature.