BUILT ENVIRONMENT

About Our Forensic Services

Comprehensive Built Environment Forensic Engineering

Our forensic engineering services address a wide range of issues affecting the built environment, including, but not limited to, residential and commercial structures, non-building structures, roof coverings, and building components and cladding. We investigate damage caused by environmental conditions like rain, wind, hail, and snow, as well as natural disasters such as wildfires, mudslides, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Additionally, we examine the impact of human factors, including construction, maintenance, and installation issues. Regardless of the cause, we thoroughly analyze the damage to provide expert, unbiased evaluations.

Environmental Conditions

Environmental factors include weather-related events like wind, hail, and storms that impact building materials and structures.

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, wildfires, and hurricanes, involve catastrophic events that cause widespread damage to infrastructure and properties.

Human Factors

Human factors refer to issues like design flaws, construction mistakes, and maintenance failures that contribute to damage of structures and components.

BUILT Environment FORENSICS

Civil and Structural

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Key areas of investigation include:

Evaluations of Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Properties
Structural Damage Evaluations: Earthquake, Wind, Fire, Excessive Loading, Tree Impact, Vehicle Impact, etc.
Structural Stability Assessments
Foundation Failures, Ground Movement, and Subsidence Analysis
Damage to Buildings from Adjacent Construction
Bridge Damage Investigations, Including Impact and Collapse Scenarios
Retaining Wall Failures
Scaffolding Collapses
Sewer and Drainage Issues

Roofing

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Key areas of investigation include:

Assessment of weather-related or catastrophic damages, including hail, high winds, UV exposure, snow and ice issues, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and fire damage
Evaluation of roof repairability versus the need for full replacement
Residential roofing materials (e.g., asphalt shingles, wood shakes, concrete and clay tiles, slate, synthetic options, metal, and more)
Commercial and industrial roofing systems (e.g., built-up roofing, modified bitumen, single-ply membranes such as PVC, TPO, and EPDM, spray polyurethane foam (SPF), vegetative roofs, and others)
Analysis of roofing components and coatings
Investigation of construction defects, manufacturing flaws, design oversights, and installation errors

Building Components and Cladding

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Key areas of investigation include:

Cladding Failure Analysis: Investigation of detachment, cracking, or deformation caused by improper installation, design flaws, or material degradation.
Moisture Intrusion Investigations: Assessments of leaks and water ingress through cladding systems, joints, or window assemblies.
Wind and Weather-related Damage: Analysis of cladding and building envelope failures from storms, high winds, or extreme temperatures.
Seismic Performance Evaluations: Investigation of cladding and structural components after earthquakes for damage and repairability.
Fire Damage Investigations: Examination of cladding and building materials for fire spread resistance and adherence to safety codes.
Aging and Material Degradation: Assessment of wear, corrosion, or UV exposure effects on cladding and exterior finishes.

Non-Building Structures

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Structural Integrity Assessments: Evaluation of towers, tanks, silos, and other non-building structures for damage and stability.
Catastrophic Failures: Investigation of sudden collapses, including retaining walls, scaffolding, and freestanding signage.
Weather-related Damage: Analysis of wind, snow, and storm impacts on bridges, antennae, or other outdoor structures.
Foundation and Ground Movement Failures: Examination of support structures for instability, settlement, or design deficiencies.
Geotechnical Evaluations: Investigations of soil interaction with structural elements such as retaining walls, towers, or piers.
Material Degradation Studies: Analysis of corrosion, wear, and fatigue in structural components such as metal, concrete, or composites.

Construction Defects

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Key areas of investigation include:

Material Failures: Identifying defects in building materials that result from manufacturing issues or poor material selection.
Design and Code Violations: Assessing compliance with architectural and engineering design, and whether the structure adheres to local and national building codes.
Construction Process Failures: Reviewing the execution of the construction process, including the quality of workmanship, supervision, and adherence to plans.
Water and Moisture Damage: Identifying sources of water ingress, including plumbing, drainage, and roofing issues that lead to long-term damage.

Geotechnical

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Foundation Failures: Our engineers determine whether foundation failures result from settlement, inadequate design, poor soil conditions, or improper construction techniques.
Retaining Wall Failures: Our experts assess the integrity of retaining walls by analyzing design flaws, soil pressure, water drainage problems, and material degradation.
Mudslides and Landslides: We investigate and determine the causes of slope instability.
Sinkholes: We evaluate the causes of sinkholes, including natural processes like water erosion and human-induced factors such as underground mining.
Soil Liquefaction: In areas prone to earthquakes, we assess the risk of liquefaction by examining soil type, groundwater levels, and seismic activity.

Flooding

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Key areas of investigation include:

Foundation Damage: Floodwaters can erode the soil around foundations, leading to settling or shifting.
Structural Integrity: Rising water can damage walls, floors, and ceilings, weakening the overall structure.
Contamination: Overflows from sewage systems or exposure to chemicals can introduce harmful contaminants into the property.
Damage to Contents: Floodwaters can destroy personal belongings, electronics, and furniture, leading to significant property loss.
Mold Growth: Stagnant floodwater can promote mold growth, especially when it remains inside a building for extended periods.

Water Intrusion

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Key areas of investigation include:

Roof Leaks: Damage or wear to the roofing system that allows rainwater to penetrate the interior.
Plumbing Leaks: Burst pipes or faulty plumbing connections that cause water to seep into walls, floors, or ceilings.
Cladding and Window Failures: Defective seals or improperly installed windows and exterior cladding that allow water to infiltrate the structure.
Basement and Crawl Space Leaks: Water from the ground infiltrating basements or crawl spaces due to poor sealing or inadequate drainage.

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