Forensic Engineering: Learning from Failures Course

Lesson 1 • History of Notable Failures

Surveys landmark structural, mechanical, and material failures that shaped the discipline. Provides historical context for understanding why systematic investigation methods evolved.

Lesson 2 • Overview of the Investigation Process

Maps the end-to-end investigation workflow from incident notification to final report. Gives students a mental model that all subsequent chapters will populate with detail.

Lesson 3 • Ethics and Professional Responsibility

Examines ethical obligations, conflicts of interest, and impartiality standards. Connects professional codes of conduct to credible, defensible investigation outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Defining Forensic Engineering

Covers the discipline's definition, boundaries, and distinction from design engineering. Anchors all subsequent investigation methods in a clear professional context.

Lesson 1 • Mechanical and Dynamic Failures

Addresses vibration-induced fatigue, impact fracture, and wear-related failures. Extends failure classification to rotating machinery and dynamic loading scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Structural Failure Modes

Covers overload, buckling, connection failure, and progressive collapse. Builds the vocabulary needed to describe and classify structural failures accurately.

Lesson 3 • Fire and Explosion Damage Patterns

Distinguishes fire-induced structural damage from explosion overpressure effects. Equips investigators to separate cause from consequence in fire and blast events.

Lesson 4 • Geotechnical Failure Modes

Introduces slope instability, liquefaction, settlement, and foundation failure. Ensures investigators can recognize soil-related contributions to structural failures.

Lesson 1 • Scene Safety and Access Protocols

Establishes hazard assessment, personal protective equipment selection, and access control. Safety protocols are prerequisites for all subsequent evidence collection activities.

Lesson 2 • Documentation Techniques

Covers photography, videography, sketching, and 3D scanning for scene documentation. Comprehensive documentation creates the evidentiary record used throughout analysis.

Lesson 3 • Physical Evidence Collection and Handling

Details sampling strategies, packaging, and transport of physical specimens. Correct handling preserves material properties needed for laboratory analysis.

Lesson 4 • Witness Interviews and Records Review

Introduces structured interview techniques and review of maintenance, design, and inspection records. Human and documentary evidence complement physical findings.

Lesson 1 • Nondestructive Evaluation Methods

Surveys ultrasonic, radiographic, magnetic particle, and dye penetrant testing. NDE methods detect hidden defects without destroying evidence or components.

Lesson 2 • Microscopy and Imaging Techniques

Introduces optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Microscopic evidence resolves ambiguities that macroscopic inspection cannot address.

Lesson 3 • Concrete and Geotechnical Testing

Covers core sampling, petrographic analysis, soil classification, and compaction testing. Extends laboratory capability to civil infrastructure and ground-related failures.

Lesson 4 • Metallurgical and Materials Testing

Covers hardness, tensile, impact, and chemical composition testing for metals and alloys. Results confirm whether material properties met design specifications.

Lesson 1 • Why-Why and Fishbone Diagrams

Introduces iterative questioning and cause-and-effect diagramming for simpler failure scenarios. These accessible tools complement quantitative methods in field investigations.

Lesson 2 • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

Applies FMEA to systematically evaluate component failure modes and their system-level effects. FMEA results prioritize investigation focus and mitigation recommendations.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Root Cause Analysis

Defines root cause, contributing factors, and causal chains. Distinguishes symptoms from causes to prevent misdiagnosis and recurrence of failures.

Lesson 4 • Fault Tree and Event Tree Analysis

Teaches deductive and inductive logic diagrams for mapping failure pathways. These tools quantify failure probability and reveal critical system vulnerabilities.

Lesson 1 • Computational Fluid and Fire Dynamics

Introduces CFD and fire dynamics simulation for explosion, flood, and fire failure scenarios. Simulation reconstructs environmental conditions that physical evidence alone cannot reveal.

Lesson 2 • Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue Life Modeling

Applies linear elastic fracture mechanics and Paris law to predict crack growth histories. Modeling links observed crack dimensions to service life and loading cycles.

Lesson 3 • Model Validation and Uncertainty Quantification

Teaches sensitivity analysis, calibration, and uncertainty bounds for forensic models. Validated models with stated uncertainty are defensible in technical and legal forums.

Lesson 4 • Structural Capacity and Load Calculations

Reconstructs design loads, actual loads, and structural capacity at the time of failure. Quantitative comparison reveals whether overload, underdesign, or degradation caused failure.

Lesson 1 • Structure of the Forensic Engineering Report

Defines the standard sections, logical flow, and documentation requirements of a forensic report. A well-structured report is the primary deliverable of every investigation.

Lesson 2 • Peer Review and Quality Assurance

Establishes internal review processes to verify accuracy, consistency, and completeness before report release. Peer review reduces errors and strengthens the report's credibility.

Lesson 3 • Visual Communication of Evidence

Covers annotated photographs, diagrams, charts, and exhibits for reports and courtroom use. Effective visuals accelerate comprehension and reinforce verbal testimony.

Lesson 4 • Technical Writing for Non-Technical Audiences

Teaches plain-language translation of engineering findings for attorneys, judges, and juries. Clarity without oversimplification is essential for legal and regulatory proceedings.

Lesson 1 • Geotechnical and Environmental Failures

Reviews slope failures, dam incidents, and contamination-related structural damage. Extends investigation skills to ground and environmental failure scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Fire and Explosion Investigation Cases

Applies fire pattern analysis, blast dynamics, and material testing to documented incidents. Students distinguish accidental from non-accidental causes using physical evidence.

Lesson 3 • Simulated Investigation Capstone Exercise

Students conduct a complete investigation on a simulated failure scenario, producing a full report. The capstone integrates scene work, laboratory interpretation, analysis, and testimony preparation.

Lesson 4 • Structural Collapse Case Studies

Analyzes documented building and bridge collapses using the full investigation framework. Students apply failure mode identification, root cause analysis, and reporting to real cases.