scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Investigation of An LP-Gas Installation And an Analysis Of Odor Fade

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert N. Anderson ◽  
Petersen James A.
Keyword(s):  
Standardized Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Impact Performance ◽  
Performance Improvements ◽  
Supply Tank ◽  
Gas System ◽  
Hybrid Iii ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Testing Standards ◽  
Engineering Investigation

The First Part Of This Presentation Is A Case Study Involving A Domestic Propane Gas System, Having A Buried Line Between The Supply Tank And The Residence. The Gas Line Was Pierced During A Landscaping Project. This Breach Was Undetected And Gas Leaked Underground; Migrating Towards The House Where It Entered Under The House. The Fugitive Gas Found A Source Of Ignition, Resulting In An Explosion And Death Of The Single Occupant. Odorant In The Gas Apparently Did Not Warn The Occupant. What Performance Improvements Correlate? Dot And Non-Dot Helmets Were Tested To Determine Impact Performance At Velocities Exceeding Standardized Testing Velocities. Three Types Of Dot Approved And Three Types Of Non-Dot Approved Helmets Were Tested At Two Speeds Outside Of The Federal Testing Standards In The United States. The Analysis Was Performed Using An Inverted Pendulum Sub-System Experimental Device With A Hybrid-Iii Anthropometric Dummy Cranium And Neck. Results Quantify The Performance By Category, Model, And Experiment By Test Metric.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Analysis Of Dot Verses Non-Dot Helmet Performance As A Function Of Velocities Exceeding Standardized Testing As A Function Of Velocities Exceeding Standardized Testing

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura L. Liptai
Keyword(s):  
Standardized Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Impact Performance ◽  
Performance Improvements ◽  
Motorcycle Helmet ◽  
Road Surfaces ◽  
Hybrid Iii ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Testing Standards

Motorcyclists Suffer Serious Trauma More Often Than Automotive Occupants Tracing To Contact With Non-Yielding Road Surfaces And/Or Direct Impact From Other Vehicles. A Motorcycle Helmet Is The Principal Defense To Head Impact. If A Motorcycle Helmet Passes Dot, Department Of Transportation, Approval, What Performance Improvements Correlate? Dot And Non-Dot Helmets Were Tested To Determine Impact Performance At Velocities Exceeding Standardized Testing Velocities. Three Types Of Dot Approved And Three Types Of Non-Dot Approved Helmets Were Tested At Two Speeds Outside Of The Federal Testing Standards In The United States. The Analysis Was Performed Using An Inverted Pendulum Sub-System Experimental Device With A Hybrid-Iii Anthropometric Dummy Cranium And Neck. Results Quantify The Performance By Category, Model, And Experiment By Test Metric.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Investigation of Above-Ground Pool Submersion Accidents

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Ziernicki ◽  
William H. Pierce
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Swimming Pool ◽  
Consumer Product Safety Commission ◽  
Adult Supervision ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Product Defect ◽  
Engineering Investigation ◽  
Alternative Designs

In the United States, approximately 35 children under the age of five years old drown each year after access-ing above-ground pools via pool ladders. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) data also shows that approximately 486 additional children sustain submersion-related injuries after accessing above-ground pools via pool ladders. In many cases, these events occurred during brief lapses of adult supervision. This paper fo-cuses on potential product defect issues related to child submersion accidents, including the role of user manuals, alternative designs, warnings, instructions, and child behavior testing. The authors examine the issues related to the investigation of above-ground swimming pool submersion accidents. In addition, procedures and steps are outlined that may be useful in analyzing whether the swimming pool is defective and unreasonably dangerous.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Investigation Of Sectional Ladder Treestand Failures

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahan Rasty
Keyword(s):  
Structural Strength ◽  
Standard Requirement ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Section Modulus ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Cause Of Failure ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Trade Names ◽  
Testing Standards ◽  
Engineering Investigation

The Purpose Of This Forensic Engineering Investigation Was To Determine The Root-Cause Of Failure Of Three 15-Foot Sectional Ladder Treestands That Caused Injury To Users. All Three Treestands Were Identical In Design And Manufactured By The Same Company Despite Differences In Trade Names. Within A Reason-Able Degree Of Scientific And Engineering Certainty, It Was Concluded That Failure Of The Treestands Was The Result Of Overstressing The Star-Crimped Area Of The Treestands At Adjoining Ladder Sections. Overstressing Was Caused By A Designed Reduction In Section Modulus Of The Rail At Adjoining Ladder Sections. Further, The Load-Bearing Ability Of The Ladder Treestands Was Evaluated In Accordance With Com-Monly Accepted Engineering Principles For Metal Ladder Design (Ansi A14.2-2007). Analysis Revealed That The Structural Strength Of The Rail Section And Testing Standards For The Treestand Industry Are Lack-Ing When Compared To Portable Metal Ladders Designed For Identical Load Ratings. In Fact, The Treestands Failed To Meet The Standard Requirement For A Portable Metal Ladder Rated At 170-Pounds Even When The Treestand Was Tested At ½ Of Its Spanning Length (2-Sections). Comparisons Between The Treestands And Portable Metal Ladder Standards Indicated That The Treestands Failed To Meet Minimum And Generally Accepted Standards For Ladder Design And Suggested The Treestands Do Not Meet Minimum Requirements For Merchantability.

The Value of Standardized Testing

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron S. Benjamin ◽  
Hal Pashler
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Standardized Testing ◽  
Common Core ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
The United States ◽  
Instructional Interventions ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
Philanthropic Organizations

Recent years have seen an increased push toward the standardization of education in the United States. At the federal level, both major national political parties have generally supported the institution of national guidelines known as Common Core—a curriculum developed by states and by philanthropic organizations. A key component of past and present educational reform measures has been standardization of tests. However, increased reliance upon tests has elicited criticism, limiting their popular acceptance and widespread adoption. Tests are not only useful for assessment purposes, however. The goal of this article is to review evidence from the recent literature in psychology that indicates that tests produce direct educational benefits for students. A reconsideration of how and how many tests are implemented based on these principles may help soften the focus on testing solely as a means of assessment and help promote wider recognition of the role of tests as potent instructional interventions.

Examining How Stakeholders at the Local, State, and National Levels Made Sense of the Changed Kindergarten

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 822-867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher P. Brown ◽  
Joanna Englehardt ◽  
David P. Barry ◽  
Da Hei Ku
Keyword(s):  
Public Education ◽  
Standardized Testing ◽  
First Grade ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Local State ◽  
National Education ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Academic Content ◽  
Education Stakeholders

Kindergarten in the United States has fundamentally changed. It is the new first grade where children are taught increased academic content and experience more standardized testing. There is much debate among education stakeholders about these changes, but such discussions are often siloed— making it difficult to know whether these changes reflect these stakeholders’ understandings of kindergarten specifically or public education in general. This explorative video-cued multivocal ethnographic study addressed this issue by examining how local, state, and national education stakeholders made sense of the changed kindergarten. Such findings provide insight into what it is they viewed driving these academic and instructional changes, what opportunities for further reform exist, and whether these stakeholders will work to support and/or alter such changes.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Investigation Of Failure Of An Oil Pipeline

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Broz
Keyword(s):  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Weld Repair ◽  
Butt Weld ◽  
Oil Pipeline ◽  
Weld Joints ◽  
General Contractor ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Engineering Investigation ◽  
Surrounding Soil

A Below-Grade, Nps 12 Pipeline Serving A Major Commercial Marine Terminal Failed At A Flanged Joint, Causing A Major Leak And Contamination Of The Surrounding Soil. The Gasket At The Failed Joint Showed Evidence Of Localized, Radial Through-Leakage. At The Terminal, The Initial Excavation Of Contaminated Soil Caused Minor Damage To Several Non-Leaking Segments Of Pipe And The Author Was First Tasked To Oversee The Related Inspection, Weld Repair And Corrosion Protection Work. The Author Subsequently Performed A Forensic Pipe Stress Analysis Of The Affected Portion Of The Fuel Oil System Per The Governing Pressure Piping Code. The Results Indicated That The Leaking Joint Failed With Respect To The Code Criterion Of Equivalent Pressure. Further Investigation Revealed That The System As Originally Designed Was Entirely Of Butt Weld Construction With No Flanged Joints, And Would Have Complied With All Code Requirements. The Investigation Determined That The General Contractor Had Made An Unauthorized Substitution Of Flanged Joints For Butt Weld Joints, Without Informing The Owner Or Design Engineer Of Record.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Investigation Of Dezincification In A Major Corrosion Litigation

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert N. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Zinc Content ◽  
Building Code ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Urban Location ◽  
Home Owner ◽  
Plumbing Systems ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Low Strength ◽  
Engineering Investigation

Zinc-Rich Brasses With The Zinc Content Above 30% Can Be Involved In Corrosion Processes With Catastrophic Results. The Dezincification Results In A Low Strength Copper With A Porous Sponge Like Structure. The Case, Where Dezincification Occurred With Massive Impact, Involved 34,000 New Homes In An Urban Location In Nevada. These Homes Were Constructed Using Building Code Approved Plastic Pex Tubing For Plumbing With Brass Fittings. Leaks Developed In The Home Plumbing Systems After Approximately 3-6 Years. This Failure Resulted In Lawsuits Involving Home Owner Associations, Insurance Companies, Contractors, Plumbers, Architects, Manufacturers, And Suppliers.

scholarly journals The Forensic Engineer in State and Federal Court

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. Ziernicki
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Expert Witness ◽  
Federal Court ◽  
The United States ◽  
Court System ◽  
Civil Lawsuits ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
And Function

This paper outlines the legal system in the United States, the different types of courts, the differences between criminal and civil law, and the role of forensic engineering experts involved in civil lawsuits. After providing a summary of relevant procedures employed by civil and criminal courts, the paper describes the basic principles and requirements for the selection and work of a forensic engineering expert in both the state and federal court system. This paper outlines the role and function of forensic experts (specifically forensic engineers), in the United States court system. It is not a treatise on the legal system but on the role of experts. The paper presents the requirements typically used in today’s legal system to qualify a forensic engineer as an expert witness and to accept his or her work and opinions. Furthermore, this paper discusses who can be an expert witness, the expert’s report, applicable standards, conducted research, engineering opinions, and final testimony in court — and how those elements fit into the legal system. Lastly, the paper describes the concept of spoliation of evidence.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Investigation of a Fatal Farm Tractor Incident

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel P. Couture
Keyword(s):  
Head Injuries ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Cad Model ◽  
Small Farm ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Farm Tractor ◽  
Parking Brake ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Engineering Investigation

A farm owner was found unresponsive with crushing head injuries on his property in rural Ontario. His small farm tractor was found 60 meters away down a small incline with the engine running and transmission in neutral. The owner’s son alleged that when the parking brake was engaged (with the engine running and transmission in neutral), this tractor’s parking brake would “pop out,” allowing the tractor to move. Field tests were conducted on the tractor to attempt to duplicate the scenario and to determine if the alleged sequence of events was plausible. Components of the parking brake and one exemplar were assessed with specialized metrology to determine whether they were within the manufacturing specifications on the blueprint. A 3-D CAD model of fit was created, and several variances were identified between the parts and the factory drawing. The results of the analysis concurred with the scenario that these variances led to the disengagement of the parking brake and operator fatality.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document