309 - Forensic Engineering

omega tau science & engineering podcast

Guest: Sean Brady Host: Markus Voelter Shownoter: Stefaan Rillaert

In this episode I chat with Sean Brady about structural failures in civil engineering. We first discuss the technical and organzational causes for such failures. We then look at Sean’s specialty, forensic engineering, which is about analyzing failures to determine the root cause. Sean also has his own podcast in which he delves into much more detail about engineering failures, not just in construction.

Introduction

00:02:12

Sean Brady | Forensic structural engineering | Root cause analysis

Structural engineering

00:05:07

Structural engineer | Technical standard | Factor of safety | Structural engineering quote | Computer-aided design (CAD) | Building code

Failures

00:18:23

Types of failure | Hydraulic action | Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940) | Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse on youtube | Why the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapsed | Brooklyn Bridge | Virgin Galactic crash | National Transportation Safety Board | Karel Terwels' study on failures, 'Structural safety: Study into critical factors in the design and construction process'

Forensic engineering

01:11:03

Forensic engineering | Brady Heywoord podcast episode 3 on the difference between a forensic engineer and a structural engineer | Sean Brady on 'Why do bridges fail?' | Brady Heywood podcast | Start of the Apollo 13 series