Engineering Sciences (page 2)
Scope of Work
Questions posed to forensic engineers are in subjects
as varied as the specialties of the engineers themselves.
Typical subjects include: failure analysis, accident reconstruction,
causes and origins of fires or explosions, design review,
quality evaluation of construction or manufacturing, maintenance
procedures, and environment definition. The scopes may range
from entire communication networks or transportation systems
to the molecular composition or grain structure of a specific
component. Structures examined may range from skyscrapers,
aircraft, or bridges to surgical implants or bones. Conclusions
are applied in personal injury litigation, construction
claims, contract or warranty disputes, patent or copyright
infringements, criminal, and regulatory matters.
Some questions the engineer may be asked to answer are:
- Why did the vehicle roll over?
- How could the accident have happened?
- Why did the airplane crash?
- Why did the building collapse?
- Did defects exist?
Forensic engineers on-site investigating
an accident.
In most legal disputes involving engineering issues, each
party will hire its own engineer(s) for consultation and
to testify on its behalf. In other words, the forensic engineer's
work is subject to the scrutiny of other highly qualified
professionals.
