Forensic Engineering and Investigation
Forensic engineering applies scientific and engineering principles to investigate failures, accidents, and incidents involving electronic systems. This discipline combines technical expertise with systematic methodologies to determine what happened, why it happened, and how similar failures can be prevented in the future. Forensic engineers serve critical roles in product liability cases, insurance claims, regulatory investigations, and internal quality improvement programs.
Electronic system failures can have consequences ranging from minor inconveniences to catastrophic events involving property damage, injury, or loss of life. Understanding how to properly investigate these failures requires expertise in electronics, materials science, failure analysis techniques, and investigative methodologies. The forensic engineer must be able to preserve evidence, conduct systematic analysis, and present findings in a manner that is technically sound and legally defensible.
This category addresses the full spectrum of forensic engineering practice, from initial incident response and evidence collection through detailed technical analysis and expert testimony. Whether investigating a consumer product failure, an industrial accident, or a system malfunction, the principles and techniques presented here provide the foundation for thorough, objective, and credible investigations.
Articles
Failure Reconstruction
Recreate failure events through systematic methods. Topics include physical reconstruction techniques, computer simulation approaches, scale modeling methods, exemplar testing, environmental and load reconstruction, failure progression analysis, energy analysis, materials and component testing, validation methods, uncertainty analysis, and best practices for defensible reconstruction work that supports forensic engineering investigations.
Incident Investigation Methodologies
Systematically analyze failures. This section addresses evidence preservation protocols, chain of custody procedures, witness interviewing techniques, timeline reconstruction, failure sequence analysis, contributing factor identification, barrier analysis, change analysis, comparative analysis, simulation and modeling, testing hypotheses, documentation standards, photography requirements, and report writing.
Legal and Litigation Support
Provide expert analysis for legal proceedings. Topics encompass expert witness preparation, deposition procedures, trial testimony, demonstrative evidence, jury presentation, technical writing for legal audiences, standards of care, reasonable engineering judgment, causation analysis, damages assessment, product liability, patent infringement, insurance claims, and alternative dispute resolution.
Regulatory Investigation Support
Assist compliance inquiries from government agencies and regulatory bodies. This section covers regulatory reporting requirements, investigation cooperation protocols, document preservation, privilege considerations, internal investigations, corrective action plans, consent decrees, recall management, public communications, congressional testimony, international investigations, criminal investigations, whistleblower protections, and settlement negotiations.
About This Category
Forensic Engineering and Investigation represents a specialized application of reliability engineering principles to the analysis of failures and incidents after they occur. While much of reliability engineering focuses on preventing failures through design, testing, and quality assurance, forensic engineering addresses what happens when prevention fails. The insights gained through forensic investigation feed back into the reliability engineering process, helping organizations learn from failures and continuously improve their products and systems.
Professionals in this field must combine deep technical knowledge with investigative skills and an understanding of legal and regulatory requirements. The ability to conduct objective, thorough investigations and communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences is essential. Whether working for manufacturers, insurers, legal teams, or regulatory agencies, forensic engineers play a vital role in understanding failures and preventing their recurrence.