Forensic Consulting: The Intersection of Mythbusters, CSI, and Structural Engineering
This lecture will be presented by Troy Morgan
This lecture is sponsored by Exponent
Forensic engineering is the investigation of structural components and systems that fail to serve their intended function. Engineers are generally hired for forensic investigations to assist a court in determining the facts following an incidence of failure, that is, who pays. In the process we have an opportunity to study failure and use those lessons to improve our design practice and our profession. As today’s structures become complex and new methodologies are developed and put into practice, there is an increasing potential for failure, and an urgent desire to learn from such failures and take steps to prevent their recurrence. This is the realm of forensic consulting, and the subject of this presentation. Several projects from structural engineering are presented to highlight the broader role of forensic consultants in a world which increasingly depends on sophisticated engineering to protect itself from both natural and human-induced catastrophe, including construction accidents, structural collapses, alleged design defects (identified before they have a chance to fail), and damage due to earthquake, storm surge, and explosive effects.
Brief Biography
Troy Morgan is a Managing Engineer at Exponent, specializing in the risk analysis and performance assessment of structures under extreme loading such as earthquakes, wind, flood, and explosions. He has broad experience with both research and practical implementation of seismic isolation and energy dissipation devices. Troy has served as a consultant on major projects, assisting with the analysis and design of essential structures including healthcare facilities, laboratories, industrial buildings, and critical infrastructure requiring sophisticated analysis techniques and the applications of advanced seismic protective systems. He also has substantial consulting experience with the nuclear power industry, evaluating seismic risk to new and existing safety critical structures and equipment through ground motion selection/scaling and nonlinear structural analysis including soil-structure interaction. Troy received his B.S., M.Eng., and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, and serves as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Civil and Urban Engineering at New York University.
1.5 PDH Credits
Registration opens at 5:45pm. Seminar begins promptly at 6:15pm
For SEAoNY members, registration is $25 in advance or $35 at the door.
For non-members, registration is $40 in advance or $50 at the door.
For student members, registration is $5.
The event will take place at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place.
