Forensic engineering
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Forensic engineering is the investigation of materials, products, structures or components that fail or do not operate/function as intended. A criminal aspect is possible in any investigation but is not always the case; civil cases are much more common. Generally the purpose of a forensic engineering investigation is to locate cause or causes of failure with a view to improve performance or life of a component. It can also involve investigation of intellectual property claims, especially patents. Methods used in forensic investigations include reverse engineering, inspection of witness statements, a working knowledge of current standards, as well as examination of the failed component itself. The fracture surface of a failed product can reveal much information on how the item failed and the loading pattern prior to failure.
There is some common ground between forensic science and engineering, such as scene of crime and scene of accident analysis, integrity of the evidence and court appearances. Both disciplines make extensive use of optical and scanning electron microscopes, for example. They also share common use of spectroscopy (infra-red, ultra-violet and nuclear magnetic resonance) to examine critical evidence. Often, however, a simple hand lens suffices to reveal the cause of a particular problem.
Most manufacturing models will have a forensic component that monitors early failures to improve quality or efficiencies.
Insurance companies use forensic engineers to prove liability or alternatively non liability.
Most engineering disasters (building collapses, out of design anomalies) are subject to forensic investigation by engineers experienced in forensic methods of investigation.
Train derailments, aircraft crashes and some automobile accidents are investigated by forensic engineers particularly where component failure is suspected. Furthermore, appliances, consumer products, medical devices, structures, industrial machinery, and even basic tools can warrant investigations upon incidents causing injury or property damages.
