engineering approach to property loss
TRANSCRIPT
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Engineering Approach to Property Loss
CLM Greater Atlanta Chapter
March 7th, 2017
David Ahearn, P.E. Engineering Systems Inc.
#CLMChapter
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Insurance History
Ocean Marine Insurance
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Insurance History
Ocean Marine Insurance
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Insurance History
Fire Insurance
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Insurance History
1950’s Modern Insurance
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Insurance Lessens Loss
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Changing Environment
Documentation
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Changing Environment
Investigation Techniques
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Changing Environment
Understanding the Aspects
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Insurance Coverage
Coverage completely dependent on policy wording
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Processing a Claim
•Get Information of Loss
•Project Management
•Understand Coverage
•Document and Close
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When To Hire An Expert
When the loss needs clarity
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Major Engineering Disciplines
• Aeronautical
• Automotive
• Biomechanical
• Boiler Machinery & Process Industry
• Chemical
• Civil/Structural
• Electrical/Electronic
• Environmental
• Fire and Explosion
• Manufacturing
• Marine
• Materials
• Mechanical
• Metallurgical
• Oil and Gas
• Patent & Trademark
• Safety
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Civil and Structural Engineering
• Failure analysis of collapsed or distressed structures
• Property Damage
• Environmental Effects of Development
• Assessment of scheduling and delay damages
• Code Compliance
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Mechanical Engineering
• Heat transfer
• Thermodynamics
• Machine design evaluation
• Manufacturing
• Fluid mechanics
• Hydraulics
• HVAC
• Control systems
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Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Metals
• Plastics and Composites
• Ceramics and Glasses
• Concrete and Wood
• Corrosion resistance
• Machining, forming, welding
• Material Selection and Processing
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Fire and Explosion
• Residential, industrial, product and vehicular
• Flow dynamics simulation programs
• Trace element analyses
• Root cause determination
• Material tests ( both fire and explosion)
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Chemical Engineering
• Process hazard event simulation
• Grid development & evidence collection
• Laboratory analyses
• Hazard evaluation
• Dispersion analyses
• Runaway reactions
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Biomechanical/Biomedical Engineering
• Ergonomics and human factors
• Injury mechanisms and causation
• Medical Devices
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Electrical Engineering
• Power plants & transformers
• Hand tools & plant machinery
• Power lines
• Switchgear, motors
• Protection and grounding
• Safety, shocks & electrocutions
• Stray currents
• Electrostatic ignition
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Automotive Engineering
• Standards compliance
• Accident analysis, rollovers
• Design, manufacturing and performance analysis
• Component and systems failure analysis
• Biomechanics, human factors and risk analysis
• Animation, modeling and simulation
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Safety Engineering
• Industrial and agricultural safety
• Instructions and warnings
• OSHA, MSHA, MSDS regulations
• Product Hazard Analysis
• Consumer Product Testing and Safety Investigations
• Slip and Fall
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Tools of the Trade
• Photography
• Stereo Microscope
• Scanning Electron Microscope
• Fourier Transform Infrared
•Modeling
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Stereo Microscope
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Stereo Microscope
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Stereo Microscope
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Scanning Electron Microscope
TESCAN VEGA TS 5136XM
• Images are acquired by rastering an electron beam across the sample
• 4x-500,000x Magnification
• Analytical Tools
o Low Vacuum Capability
o Back-Scatter Detector
o Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS)
o Elemental Mapping
• Large chamber
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SEM – Analysis
Low Vacuum Capability• The variable pressure system allows
imaging and analysis of non-conductive materials
o Plastics
o Ceramics
o Composites
o Biological Specimens
Back-Scatter Detector• Aids in the determination and
distribution of certain elements (chemistry/composition)
o Heavy elements (Ruthenium) appear brighter than lighter elements (Copper)
Nylon
Reinforced
“Rubber”
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SEM - Fire Case Study
• Allegation: Fire was caused by a faulty switch in a dryer
• SEM was to look at the switch
• Conclusion: The microstructure was consistent with eutectic melting or alloying. The two contacts were in contact for a prolonged period of time, leading to diffusion and lowering the melting point
Contact A
Contact B
Contact A
Contact B
Eutectic Melting/Solidification
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FTIR – Material Analysis
Trace Material on a Fracture Surface
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Solid Mechanics – Analytical Tools
Finite Element Analysis
• Tennessee State Highway 69 bridge collapse
• Failure analysis/buckling modes analysis
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Solid Mechanics – Analytical ToolsABAQUS/Standard Example - Miller Park Crane Failure
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Solid Mechanics – Analytical Tools
ABAQUS/Standard Example - Miller Park Crane Failure
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Legal Claims Approach
•Document the Facts
•Know the Scope
•Preserve the Evidence
•Report the Outcomes
•Document Correspondence
Any claim could go to court!
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Questions?
David Ahearn, P.E.
Senior Consultant
Engineering Systems Inc.
678-990-3280