The Role Of Forensic Engineers
In recent years, forensic engineering has become a very interesting field and the skills are highly sought after especially by the construction and transport industry. Most of these engineers will not be working as regular workers but on a consultation basis. Like in other forensic fields, forensic engineers are charged with taking clues and developing the cause of structural failure for buildings or vehicles. However, their duties will differ depending on what filed they are working in. There is no telling where the accidents will occur so you can find these professionals in different areas.
The common thing with all of them, however, is to determine the reason behind the damage even if it occurred in a series of events. The engineers can even be summoned to look at faulty structures, it’s not always after the damage has already happened. However, if they are called in after the damage has already taken place they will first embark on finding out what the failure and with the cause figured out, they will then start putting the evidence together to support what at that time can only be a theory. This can be in the form of witnesses at the site and other forms of physical pieces. After they have gathered the clues, they will then develop a hypothesis that shows how the vent came to be. This is still a theory but it is much more refined to explain what happened.
The next step will involve performing some tests. The components that could have led to the building being unstable will be I focus here. The tests could take different scopes. Different tests will be done to show if they point to the same thing. After the engineer has gathered the evidence and conducted tests they will draw a conclusion from there. This will be presented in a forensic report whose basis is the tests. The tests at times could include different scenarios but all which point to the same thing.
After that has been accomplished, the engineer will then proceed and give testimony in court. These professionals will know the process in a court of law. However, the testimony part comes if there are two or more parties in a court of law that are in dispute on who should take the blame for the accident. The forensic engineer, therefore, is very vital in determining the reason for failure, especially where many lives are affected. Apart from the engineers working on their own, you can approach investigation companies that will have more tools and professionals at their disposal.
These companies will also in be the possession of the licenses that allow them to carry out this kind of work. The support you get from forensic engineers can be the only way to find out the truth about the occurrence of an accident. Some companies will have these professionals even on freelance basis to help guide on issues that fall within their roles. There are many companies and individual engineers that have listed their services online. It should be the first place to look if you need their input.