The Geotechnical News

Norbert J. Delatte ... 424 pages - Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers; (January, 2008) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 0784409730 - ISBN-13: 978-0784409732.

"Beyond Failure" presents the circumstances of important failures that have had wide-reaching impacts on civil engineering practice. Each case study narrates the known facts of the situation: design and construction, the failure, subsequent investigation or analysis, and, where appropriate, additional issues such as technical concerns, ethical considerations, professional practice issues, and long-term effects. The case studies are organized around eight common topics of undergraduate engineering courses, and each case study has teaching points and a reading list, so this book is useful to engineering faculty and their students. With more than 40 full cases, this book will also appeal to practicing engineers with an interest in forensic investigations or the analysis of historic failures.

Robert W. Day ... 528 pages - Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education; 2nd edition .... Language: English - ISBN-10: 0071761330 - ISBN-13: 978-0071761338 ... 

Fully revised and packed with current case studies, Forensic Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering, Second Edition provides a step-by-step approach to conducting a professional forensic geotechnical and foundation investigation. This authoritative resource explains how to: Investigate damage, deterioration, and collapse in a structure + Determine what caused the damage + Develop repair recommendations + Diagnose cracks + Prepare files and reports + Avoid civil liability Helpful charts and photographs aid in your understanding of the material covered. With expert advice on all aspects of the process--from accepting the assignment to delivering compelling testimony--this is a practical, all-in-one guide to geotechnical and foundation investigations in forensic engineering. Explains how to investigate damage due to: Settlement of structures, Expansive soil, Lateral Movement, Earthquakes, Erosion, Deterioration, Bearing Capacity Failures, Shrinkage Cracking of Concrete Foundations, Timber Decay, Soluble Soil, Groundwater and Moisture Problems and Other Causes.

Shen-en Chen, Alicia Diaz de Leon, Anthony M. Dolhon, Michael J. Drerup, M. Kevin Parfitt... 
824 pages - Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); (October, 2009) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 0784410828 - ISBN-13: 978-0784410820 ...

This proceedings contains 82 papers presented at the 5th ASCE Forensic Engineering Congress, held in Washington, D.C., November 11 14, 2009. The conference was sponsored by the ASCE Technical Council on Forensic Engineering whose mission is to develop practices and procedures to reduce the number of failures, to disseminate information on failures, and to provide guidelines for conducting failure investigations and for ethical conduct. Forensic Engineering 2009: Pathology of the Built Environment includes papers that examine case studies, investigation approach and methodology, expert witnessing, ethics, standard of care, non-destructive evaluation, and education in forensic engineering. This book will be valuable to engineers, professionals, researchers, educators, and students involved in forensic engineering.

Harold Franck, Darren Franck ... 487 pages - Publisher: CRC Press; 1st edition (December, 2012) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 1439878390 - ISBN-13: 978-1439878392 ...

Forensic engineers often specialize in a particular area such as structures, fires, or accident reconstruction. However, the nature of the work often requires broad knowledge in the interrelated areas of physics, chemistry, biomechanics, and engineering. Covering cases as varied as assessment of workplace accidents to the investigation of Halliburton in the BP oil spill, Forensic Engineering Fundamentals is a comprehensive introduction to the many diverse facets of the field that forensic engineers must be familiar with in their practice.

Topics include: The role of the forensic engineer * Structures, structural distress, and the importance of standards and codes * The failure of appliances―the cause of many water- or fire-related losses * Slips, trips, and falls of pedestrians and the accessibility of walking surfaces * Industrial incidents involving loss of equipment, injury and loss of life, as well as OSHA and MSHA regulations * Standard accident reconstruction involving vehicles * Electrical incidents and lightning and the effect of electrical energy on the human body * Analysis of fires with an emphasis on thermodynamics, testing, and simulation * Carbon monoxide incidents and common fire suppression and warning systems, as well as the various NFPA codes * Probability and uncertainty, with some basic calculations available to the forensic engineer * Applicable standards and protocols that have developed over the years to protect life and property * Offering readers real-world experience drawn from the authors’ 25 years of experience, this volume assists newcomers to the field in understanding the engineering basics underlying the cases they will encounter in their practice. It also serves as a reliable reference for those confronted with issues outside their area of expertise.

Joshua B. Kardon ... 144 pages - Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers; 2nd edition (September, 2012) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 0784412464 - ISBN-13: 978-0784412466 ...

Guidelines for Forensic Engineering Practice, Second Edition, describes the technical, ethical, business, and legal components of the professional practice in forensic civil engineering in the United States. The practice of forensic engineering includes the investigation of buildings, bridges, and other constructed facilities that fail or do not perform as intended. It also involves rendering opinions as to the causes of failure or underperformance and testifying in judicial proceedings. Topics include: competencies and qualifications of forensic engineers; standard of care; investigations and reports; ethics; the legal forum; and the business of forensic engineering. The ASCE Code of Ethics is included in an appendix. Civil engineers of all disciplines, including structural and geotechnical engineers, will consult this book for guidance on the effective and ethical practice of forensic civil engineering. This book serves as a primer for engineers new to forensic practice and as a useful reference for seasoned practitioners.

V. V. S. Rao, G. L. Sivakumar Babu ... 552 pages - Publisher: Springer; 1st edition (August, 2015) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 8132223764 - ISBN-13: 978-8132223764 ...

In this edited volume on advances in forensic geotechnical engineering, a number of technical contributions by experts and professionals in this area are included. The work is the outcome of deliberations at various conferences in the area conducted by Prof. G.L. Sivakumar Babu and Dr. V.V.S. Rao as secretary and Chairman of Technical Committee on Forensic Geotechnical Engineering of International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (ISSMGE). This volume contains papers on topics such as guidelines, evidence/data collection, distress characterization, use of diagnostic tests (laboratory and field tests), back analysis, failure hypothesis formulation, role of instrumentation and sensor-based technologies, risk analysis, technical shortcomings. This volume will prove useful to researchers and practitioners alike.

Stephen E. Petty ... 806 pages - Publisher: CRC Press; 1st edition (January, 2013) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 143989972X - ISBN-13: 978-1439899724 ...

Robert Ratay ... 688 pages - Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 2nd edition (November, 2009) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 0071498842 - ISBN-13: 978-0071498845 ...

Thoroughly revised and featuring contributions from leading experts, this definitive handbook offers comprehensive treatment of forensic structural engineering and expert witness delivery. From exploring the possible origins of errors, through investigating and analyzing failures, to working with the legal profession for assigning responsibilities, Forensic Structural Engineering Handbook, Second Edition covers every important topic in the field.

The design and construction process - Design and construction safety codes, standards, and regulations - Standard of care and duty to perform - First steps and legal concerns after a failure - Engineering investigation of failures - Origins and causes of failures - Loads and hazards - Design errors, construction defects, and project miscommunication - Defects, deterioration, and durability - Mechanisms and analyses of failures in steel, concrete, masonry, timber, and temporary structures; building envelope; and structural foundations - Litigation and dispute resolution - The expert consultant and witness.