Forensic Engineering and Expert Testimony

Uncover the Truth Behind Structural Failures and Ensure Just Resolutions with Ray Engineering Inc.’s Forensic Engineering and Expert Testimony Services.

Delving into Structural Integrity

Ray Engineering Inc. offers a distinguished Forensic Engineering and Expert Testimony service that shines light on the causes of structural failures, materials issues, and functional anomalies. Our seasoned engineers bring a meticulous approach to analyzing incidents and providing unbiased expert testimony, making us a reliable partner in resolving disputes and achieving justice.

The Role of Forensic Engineering

Our Forensic Engineering service assists in uncovering the root causes of failures:

Accident Reconstruction: Determine the sequence of events leading to accidents and understand factors contributing to structural failure.
Materials Analysis: Investigate material performance, deterioration, and potential defects that impact structural integrity.
Code Compliance Evaluation: Assess whether structures adhere to relevant codes and standards.
Expert Testimony: Provide credible expert testimony for dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration, and court proceedings.

Who Can Benefit from Forensic Engineering?

Our services extend to various stakeholders:

Property Owners: Gain insights into the causes of structural issues and pursue necessary corrective actions.
Legal Professionals: Secure unbiased expert opinions to bolster your case in legal proceedings.
Insurance Companies: Accurately assess claims related to structural failures and materials issues.
Construction Industry: Learn from past incidents to improve future designs, construction methods, and materials.

Our Approach

Our Forensic Engineering process follows a methodical framework:

In-Depth Investigation: Our engineers meticulously investigate the incident, collecting data, and analyzing evidence.
Expert Analysis: We evaluate the information to identify causal factors and develop an informed understanding of the situation.
Unbiased Testimony: Our engineers provide clear, credible expert testimony to assist in dispute resolution.
Resolution Support: Our insights empower parties to make informed decisions and achieve just resolutions.

Why Choose Ray Engineering Inc.?

Expertise: Our seasoned engineers possess a wealth of experience in investigating structural failures and materials anomalies.
Unbiased Insights: We provide objective analysis and expert testimony, ensuring credibility and fairness.
Comprehensive Reporting: Our detailed reports present findings and conclusions in a clear, understandable manner.
Collaboration: We work collaboratively with all stakeholders, fostering transparent communication.

Ray Engineering, Inc. designed our Property Condition Assessment to determine the present physical condition of the project and its improvements. We help determine any future anticipated issues, which may result in a financial risk or liability.

The PCA process includes:

A visual walk-through to observe the existing conditions.
Review of the available construction documentation, public records and current budgets.
Deciphering the information gathered and presenting it with intelligence for repair or further detailed review if the issues cannot be determined through visual observation alone.

Property Condition Reports contain a property description (site, buildings, history and maintenance) and a review of the following building components:

Site Improvements (Access, Parking, Paving/Drainage, Walks/Curbs, Utilities, Lighting, Landscaping/Irrigation, Fences/Walls, Signage and Disabled Accessibility/ADA).
Building Improvements (Foundation, Structure, Floor Construction, Exterior Wall Construction, Roof and Canopy Construction, Windows, Doors, Balconies/Terraces, Stairs, Interior Floors & Walls and Appliances/Cabinets, Disabled Accessibility/ADA)
Building Mechanical, Plumbing & Electrical Systems (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Vertical Transportation, Fire Protection/Life Safety Systems)
Tenant Spaces (Interior Finishes, Kitchen Appliances, HVAC, Plumbing/Fixtures, Electrical, Fire Protection/Life Safety Systems)
Other Issues (e.g., Fixtures, Furnishings and Equipment (FF&E) for hotels, more detailed mechanical studies, more detailed ADA surveys, etc.) — these issues can be included in a property condition report, but must be discussed prior to being proposed.

Department of Community Affairs Projects are ones in which we perform various duties which may include Pre-Construction Analysis, Construction Monitoring, and/or Final Inspections.

Forensic Engineering is essentially the investigation of materials, products or structures that fail or do not operate or function as intended causing personal injury or property damage. The field also deals with retracing the process and procedures leading to accidents or structural failures.

Ray Engineering has performed forensic evaluations for over 30 years in the civil and structural engineering field. We also provide expert testimony in dispute resolution including settlement discussions, mediation arbitration and trial in court.

Typical services include:

Review of plans and specifications to ensure completeness and conformance with current codes and standards.
Cost analysis to ensure construction budgets are sufficient to construct the projects as defined by the contract documents.
Conduct periodic site inspections to monitor construction progress and ensure conformance with plans and specifications.
Monitor construction progress for compliance to plans and specifications and provide a letter of acceptance upon completion of work.
Prepare detailed written reports for all services noted above.

Preparation of design plans and specifications for structural restoration.
Monitoring of the restoration work.
Certification of restoration work.
Review and analyze structural concerns including settlement problems, exterior deck, handrail or walkway problems, roof leaks or problems that could impact the structural integrity of a building.
Evaluate drainage issues and suggest corrective measures.

Commercial/Residential/Office Buildings

The purpose of the Physical Needs Assessment is to identify and provide cost estimates for the following key items:

Immediate Physical Needs – repairs, replacements and significant maintenance items which should be done immediately.
Physical Needs Over the Term – repairs, replacements and significant maintenance items which will be needed over the term of the mortgage and two years beyond.

As part of the process, instances of deferred maintenance are also identified.

The assessment is based on the evaluator’s judgment of the actual condition of the improvements and the expected useful life of those improvements. It is understood that the conclusions presented are based upon the evaluator’s professional judgment and that the actual performance of individual components may vary from a reasonably expected standard and will be affected by circumstances which occur after the date of the evaluation.

A Transition Study or Developer Turn-Over Report is prepared when your community is being turned over to the Home Owner’s Association by the developer. These studies are often performed in conjunction with a Capital Reserve Analysis. The study consists of a thorough inspection of the common elements of the community. The study documents any design, construction, building codes or condition defects. This study, which is conducted by a professional engineer, provides an independent expert opinion on the recommended remediation of the defects along with the estimated costs to remediate the defects.

The goal of the Transition Study is to assist the community in avoiding costly defect litigation by having the defective items corrected by the developer or reach a fair settlement.

The Transition Study includes:

A review of each of the common elements of the community
The condition of each of the common elements and a list of all of the elements that exhibit effects and require remediation, modification or replacement
Cost estimates, including labor and material for the repair or replacement
A detailed narrative report, including photographic documentation, which describes the defect or code violation and recommendations for remediation

Our engineers have the Community Associations Institute designation of Reserve Specialists.

Many associations are putting together budgets for future repairs and replacements of all common elements and this helps assist with that process. The Capital Reserve Analysis includes a review of the property with input from Board Members, Property Manager and Maintenance Supervisor

The Capital Reserve Analysis includes:

Objective
Procedures and Limitations
Property Description and Condition
Estimate of Repairs
Budget
Photographs
Review with Board Members and Property Manager