Product Description

Most books on forensic engineering focus on civil engineering failures rather than consumer or general mechanical products. Unique both in scope and style, this treatment is built upon case studies of real accidents, broadly focused on consumer products, and dedicated to problem solving through scientific principles. Each case study includes legal background, case results, and lessons learned from the case. New materials and applications appear constantly, and with them, new failure modes. Forensic Materials Engineering: Case Studies provides an outstanding opportunity to gain virtual experience through facts and feedback from forensic engineering practitioners.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1110949 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

Review
"The authors are hugely experienced in this subject, and are also excellent communicators and teachers. They also have an unusually wide range of coverage of the full range of engineering materials, including polymers, composites, etc., which have previously been neglected in forensic engineering publications but which are now of great importance." - Dai Jones, Editor-in-Chief, Engineering Failure Analysis and Secretary, Faculty Board of Engineering, University of Cambridge

From the Back Cover
A catheter used to transfer vital fluids splits during surgery.
A wheel detaches from a moving car on the highway.
A small gear tooth breaks from a chisel and flies into a mechanic's eye.

How did these accidents occur and were they preventable? Peter Lewis, Ken Reynolds, and Colin Gagg are seasoned forensic engineers who have been commissioned by insurance companies, lawyers, and private clients to investigate a variety of mechanical accidents that allegedly involved faulty equipment. The causes of these failures have varied - from manufacturing defects to user negligence to a combination of both - but their outcomes are often the same: huge financial loss, and sometimes even the immeasurable loss of life.

Case studies are the most valuable source of information for manufacturers striving to improve their products. In Forensic Materials Engineering: Case Studies, the authors offer stories of real accidents and thorough assessments of what went wrong. Unlike other case study presentations, they focus on not just the technical details, but also other vital aspects, including human error, turning points in the investigations, and the litigation involved. Presented in chronological order, each well-illustrated case study includes legal background, reports the case results, and highlights the lessons learned from the case.

New materials and applications appear constantly, and with them, new failure modes. Examining various materials in a range of situations, Forensic Materials Engineering: Case Studies provides an outstanding opportunity to gain virtual experience through up-to-date facts and feedback from forensic engineering practitioners.

Customer Reviews

Forensic review
I found the book contained recent and relevant case histories of a range of failures that will provide the field engineer with an invaluable tool. I was extremely impressed with the broad range of case studies presented. A must have for the professional engineer or legal practitioners. Highly recommended for undergraduates and postgraduates studying Forensic Engineering.