Forensic Practices Workshop

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

8:30am - 5:00pm

 

This workshop on the practice of forensic engineering covers the following subjects:

 

This workshop is based on the ASCE’s Guidelines for Forensic Engineering Practice, 2003 and Guidelines for Failure Investigation, 1987. The workshop will cover the main issues related to the practice of forensic engineering with an emphasis on the ethical issues, and the basics of how to conduct a defensible forensic investigation. It will encourage audience participation and discussion.

The speakers that are scheduled to present this workshop include:

Deepak Ahuja, M.S., P.E., M.ASCE: Mr. Ahuja is the vice president of Nelson Architectural Engineers, Inc., a multi-discipline forensic engineering company with six offices. Mr. Ahuja is registered in seventeen states and is a member of the TCFE Forensic Practices Committee. He is a past president of the North Central Texas Chapter of the Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT). He has worked in the field of forensic engineering for the last 11 years. He has provided testimony at deposition more than 40 times, trial 8 times, arbitration 12 times, and at mediation 6 mediations. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree from Birla Institute of Technology, India and his Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991. Mr. Ahuja has design experience with a wide variety of clients utilizing varied materials.

Ronald W. Anthony, Wood Scientist: Mr. Anthony, President of Anthony & Associates, Inc., received an M.S. in Wood Science from Colorado State University. Since 1985, Mr. Anthony has been active in research, development, and implementation of innovative nondestructive evaluation technologies for timber structures. He provides inspection and forensic services of wood in construction applications. He has conducted forensic investigations on wood-related failures, such as the failure of Pavilion I at the University of Virginia and the Texas A&M bonfire collapse. He chairs the TCFE Committee on Forensic Investigation.

Leonard J. Morse-Fortier, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE: Dr. Morse-Fortier received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, and both his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering Mechanics from Princeton University. After working several years in wind engineering, he completed his Ph.D., and spent ten years teaching structural mechanics and building technology to architecture students, first at the University of Notre Dame, and more recently at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. in 1996. His practice includes extensive work investigating failures, he consults on structural design and restoration work, especially where wood is used, and he provides wind-engineering consulting on a wide range of problems - from estimating tower and crane loads to analyzing the pedestrian wind environment.

Clemens J. Rossell, P.E., M.ASCE: Mr. Rossell joined Trinity | ERD in June 2002 where he practices forensic engineering and provides structural engineering support. Mr. Rossell is registered as a Professional Engineer in Washington and Oregon and is a Control Group member of the TCFE Committee on Forensic Practice. Mr. Rossell earned a Bachelor of Science degree from San Carlos University, Guatemala, and later became Professor of Structural Engineering and Department Head for Structural Engineering at San Carlos.