Construction

A marine accident investigator certified with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). He also has over 20 years of experience in the litigation and claims industries and more than 10 years’ experience in commercial construction operations and management. he leads RTI’s visual aid consulting Imaging Sciences Group, the Unmanned Aircraft (drone), and Evidence Inspection Programs. When in the field, he takes the lead on marine accident investigations, scene documentation and preservation as well as mechanical roof damage inspections. He is also an experienced interactive design and graphic communications professional, specializing in visualizing complex matters for litigation and settlement.

Consulting Engineer in Civil Engineering, specializing in Highway and Street Design, Traffic Engineering, Utilities Construction, Storm Drainage, Pedestrian Safety, Walkway Surface Evaluations, Concrete and Asphalt Pavement Evaluations. Extensive experience in Construction Management, Project Related Claims, Job Site Safety, Codes and Standards, ADA Compliance.

Senior Engineer – Complex Failures/Fires/Explosions

Summary

He is a practicing Professional Engineer, LEED Accredited Professional, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, and consultant, with 35 years of experience in the responsible charge of planning, designing and constructing facilities for manufacturing, commercial, chemical and heavy industrial use. His experience as a design principal and project executive includes project development, facility siting and design, building/process design and construction, code compliance, high pressure piping and vessels, energy and utility systems, ventilation, air pollution control, HVAC, structural engineering, and bulk material handling. These activities have involved all phases of conceptual planning, design engineering and procurement, construction and erection, safety and OSHA compliance.

In addition to his direct engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) background, he also maintains expertise in complex systems and equipment failure analysis, accident reconstruction, process hazard and risk assessment, thermal and stress analysis, fire and explosion investigation and construction claims consulting. His investigations include boiler, piping and pressure vessel failures and explosions, structural failures and collapses, and equipment fires and explosions.

Real Estate and Property Management

Summary

This expert has a CPM® PCAM ® CMCA® with over forty years of management experience in both residential and commercial properties. He graduated from the University of Maryland with honors with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Economics. He holds the following certifications and licenses: Certified Property Manager (“CPM”), as designated by the Institute of Real Estate Management (“IREM”); Professional Community Association Manager (“PCAM”), as awarded from the Community Associations Institute (“CAI”); Certified Manager of Community Associations (“CMCA”), as designated by the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBCCAM); licensed real estate agent in Maryland; and a licensed Property Manager in the District of Columbia. He has authored numerous publications, taught various classes and seminars, and has spoken at many invited presentations.

He has served as an expert witness for cases in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Civil engineer specializing in structural dynamics, wind and earthquake engineering. His research interests include various aspects of structural dynamics, system identification, flow-induced vibration, earthquake engineering, and wind engineering.Working in collaboration with another professor, he established an experimental research program on aero-elasticity and aerodynamics of civil engineering structures using the low-turbulence Corrsin wind tunnel at Johns Hopkins.

This expert has collaborated on a number of bridge aerodynamics projects, including the aerodynamic analysis of the Baytown (Houston) Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco, the Central Bridge in Cincinnati, the Kap Shui Mun Bridge in Hong Kong, the Seohae Bridge in Korea, and the Carquinez Straits Bridge in California.  His long-standing interest and involvement in wind related problems associated with long-span bridges has led more recently to active involvement in stay vibration problems associated with cable-stayed bridges.

Senior Civil and Structural Engineer

Summary
He is a Senior Civil and Structural Engineer with over thirty-six years experience in the construction industry with specialization in construction project management, construction cost estimating, and investigation of civil and structural engineering design, defects, and failures.

He provides consulting on structural engineering issues with regard to building damage, repair, and collapse.  He has also investigated numerous cases involving origin, cause, and remediation of water infiltration and damage, including water entrance into building structures and site drainage issues.

He has provided professional construction consulting with regard to construction cost estimating.  He is a registered Certified Cost Engineer (C.C.E.) and has been an expert witness on construction claim issues. 

This expert is internationally recognized for his research on the effects of chemicals and chemical processing on the structural performance of wood and wood-composites. This research has resulted in over two dozen peer-reviewed publications on the effects of preservatives and preservative treatment on the physical and mechanical properties of wood. This research has been resulted in several new design adjustments or process limitations in National Codes and Standards in the US and Canada.

He is also internationally recognized for his research and technological development of the concepts of using engineered biocomposites as a value-added tool to promote and to fund sustainable forest management. He formerly led this emerging approach through his long-work with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 5 Forest Products. From 2003-2012, he was the vice-chair of the Division 5.05 Composites Research Group of IUFRO in which he focused on enhancing the performance and durability of engineered biocomposites and the long-term sustainability of bio-based composites.

He started his own consulting firm specializing in forensic wood science, wood durability and bioresource sustainability in 2008. He served as Project Leader from 2001 to 2008, of the Engineered Composites Science Research Work Unit. He had primary responsibility for the processing and serviceability of wood-based and wood-plastic composite products. This research group is recognized by the building codes, the wood industry, and standard organizations as having a leadership role in providing unbiased technical information on manufacturing of and serviceability requirements of wood-based and wood-plastic composite products.

The multidisciplinary FRT-Serviceability Team received national recognition by the building codes, the wood industry, and standard organizations for having taken a leadership role in providing unbiased technical information on serviceability assessment of fire-retardant treated plywood roof sheathing. The team also pioneered mechanical- and chemical-based techniques for residual serviceability assessment and predictive models to estimate residual serviceability of wood products in-service. This research resulted in over another two dozen peer-reviewed publications. It has also resulted in four National Standards (ASTM D5516-94, D-5664-95, D-6305-98, and D-6841-02) and major revisions to FR-Treating Standards (AWPA C20 & C27, now AWPA U-1 & T-1).

His work on the very early stages of biological decay showed that changes in the chemical composition of the wood cause significant reductions in wood strength before measurable weight loss occurs. From an engineering perspective, estimating strength loss and residual strength is the critical element in assessing wood serviceability/durability for structures in-service as affected by wood decay. Collaborative studies have shown close a relationship between the degradation of hemicellulose and wood strength losses. Residual strength of degraded wood can be predicted using models developed by this collaborative team. The changes in chemical composition appear to be similar in both the biological and chemical systems. Understanding the relationship between chemical composition and strength loss is critical in developing models to estimate strength loss caused by biological, chemical or thermal agents.

Has over thirty years of experience in structural materials forensic work, materials testing, engineering design, project management, and construction management.  During the early stages of his career he performed basic engineering duties prior to specializing in diagnostic and forensic work.  His responsibilities included structural engineering design and construction of single-family subdivisions, small multi-family complexes, and evaluation of building and other structures for their structural components and the materials that make up of those components.  He has conducted numerous investigations regarding the structural aspects of buildings, including shear walls, framing, concrete failures (cracking, spalling, sulfate attack), and regarding the architectural aspects (envelopes) of buildings including curtain walls, waterproofing (building paper, sealers, sealants, membranes) and veneer (EIFS, GFRC, glazing, stucco, thin brick, tile, and wood siding).  Other materials tested and consultations include vapor moisture transmission through concrete floors, drainage and waterproofing of below grade concrete walls, shotcrete construction, gypsum concrete underlayment, asphalt, ABS pipe coefficient of friction of floors and window/storefronts for water penetration.

His current work emphasizes the evaluation, investigation, analysis and recommendations for remedial work of existing buildings and structures.  He provides support as an expert witness to attorneys in construction defects and personal injury litigation and has testified on structural aspects of construction, on performance of materials and workmanship, on compliance with codes and industry standards, and on slip and fall cases.

He has testified extensively on the standard of care in the construction industry.

A Registered Professional Engineer (safety), Certified Safety Professional, and Master’s Level Psychologist specializing in technical aspects of applied human factors engineering and safety.  For over 30 years, both as a corporate safety director and private consultant, this expert has provided a variety of organizations, including private industry, governmental organizations, and the legal and insurance community with technical assistance on safety and human factors engineering issues.

In addition, he serves as a member of numerous national consensus standard committees including: ASTM Committee No. E-34 on Occupational Health and Safety; ASTM Subcommittee E34.85 on Ergonomics; ANSI A-10 Committee on Safety Requirements for Construction and Demolition; ANSI A-10.2 Subcommittee on Standard for Safety, Health, and Environmental Training; and is chairperson for the ANSI A-10.39 Subcommittee on Safety Audit Procedures.  As an Accredited Occupational Safety and Health Instructor through the U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA), this expert has taught Accredited OSHA Safety courses through The National Resource Center for OSHA Training under a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.  In addition, he has been an instructor in human factors and safety at Community College of Baltimore County and numerous safety topics for the National Safety Council and the Safety Council of Maryland.

Has provided technical consultations that have been utilized by the insurance and legal communities for expert testimony, pretrial, and trial preparation in cases involving construction safety, product safety analysis, hazard analysis, hazard warning analysis, failure analysis, and human factors engineering analysis with respect to private, product, commercial, and industrial accident reconstruction.

Has provided expert testimony as to findings in courts of law.

He is a versatile Civil Engineer who has strongly advocated his clients’ interests for over 30-years. His forensic focus is design, contracts, construction, permits, and operations of roadways, buildings, and site properties. His services include field investigations, review of technical and contractual documentation, interviews, research and analysis, development of options and recommendations, authoritative reports, and expert witnessing. With a reputation of high ethics, diligence, and good discretion, he confirms actions and responsible parties, and negotiates favorable client outcomes with third parties such as regulatory and government agencies. His appreciation of interdisciplinary integration allows him to either lead or provide a supporting role in a team environment for a wide range of jurisdictions and clients. He can be counted on for the following:

• Stormwater and Drainage Concerns – ponds, culverts, inlets, flooding, ESD, rainfall and hydrologic modeling, building discharges, combined sewers, and storm drain repairs
• Erosion and Sediment Complaints – permit compliance, proper sequencing, scour protection and mitigation measures, grading, and environmental protection.
• Bid Support - quality assurance of contract documents, constructability and cost estimates, and contractor price and technical proposals
• Construction Conflicts and Claims – disputes, change order and shop drawing reviews, materials selection, RFI, compliance orders, redline revisions, and claims for time or money
• Roadways – safety audits (design standards against actual field conditions), ADA compliance investigations, and automotive and pedestrian crash studies
• Insurance and Legal Investigations – cause and origin studies for reported loses such as sinkholes, hail, mold, termites, storms, etc. or post construction including code analysis
• Buildings and Site Work – demolition and restoration consulting, operation and system needs, utility design and placement, architect coordination, and permit coordination