STRUCTURAL FAILURE INVESTIGATIONS

An engineering, legal and insurance  perspective

Organized by:      Danay Engineering Ltd.

Danay Engineering Ltd.

Sponsored by the University of Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
With the participation of:

January 11 to 12, 1999.   University of Toronto, Hart House Theater,  Toronto, Ontario, Canada

THE SEMINAR OBJECTIVES

Failure of constructed facilities, which may carry a considerable price tag for structural replacement / rehabilitation, loss of business or life, almost invariably triggers a litigation process which draws together a mixed forum of engineering, legal and insurance professionals.  Successfully diagnosing the probable cause of failure, assessing its consequences, and presenting the findings convincingly and in a mutually understandable manner are vital to this process.

Civil structures may fail in a variety of modes.  The unprecedented growth in modern technology has resulted in a host of problems related to complex structures, special materials, and severe operational and environmental loads, such as fire, excessive vibrations, explosion, high-energy piping failures, missiles, and earthquakes. With the possible exception of misuse, accidental or extreme environmental loads, the causes of failure may be found in deficiencies of design, detailing, material, workmanship, or inspection.   

Structural failure investigation, a key component of structural forensic engineering which  often calls for an unlikely marriage of skills from disparate fields, is considered to be both an art and a science. In spite of its complexity, structural forensic engineering has no established base as a professional discipline. The main objectives of this Seminar, presented by a panel of experts consisting of engineering consultants, academics, lawyers and insurance executives from North America and Europe, are to provide a systematic approach to structural failure investigation, develop a common language and mutual understanding of the structural failure types and mechanisms, investigation process and its role in insurance claims and litigation, and offer a forum for discussion and networking.

Engineering consultants, lawyers practicing insurance and construction law, insurance executives in charge of construction claims, insurance adjusters, contractors, owners,  and engineers and managers from Municipalities, Public Utilities, Infrastructure and Transport Authorities who are responsible for critical structures, will find particular interest in this event.

SEMINAR PROGRAM

Monday, 11 January

0830    Registration and coffee
0900    Opening remarks
0930    The Role of Structural Failure Investigation in Construction Law Practice: (J.B. Masini, Attorney at
             Law, Daar, Fisher, Kanaris & Vanek, P.C., Attorneys at Law, Chicago, Illinois,USA ).
1015    The Role of Structural Failure Investigation in Insurance Claims: (C. H. Fogden, Senior
             Vice-President, Aon Reed Stenhouse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada).
1100    Coffee
1130    Structural Failure Investigation Process and Techniques: (A. Danay, Ph. D, P. Eng., Principal, Danay
             Engineering Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
1215    Discussion

1245    Lunch

1400    Experimental Method: Instrumentation Monitoring, Field and Laboratory Testing: (L. Carpenter,
             P. Eng., Principal, Carpenter  Consulting, Lakewood, Colorado, USA)
1445    Explosion Damage Assessment: (T. Krauthammer, Ph. D., P. Eng., Professor, Civil Engineering
             Department, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA)
1530    Geotechnically Related Causes of Foundation Failures: (J. Seychuk, P. Eng. & J. Westland, P. Eng.,
             Golder Associates, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ). 
1615    Discussion
1645    Coffee
1715    Visit to the Structural Testing Laboratories

Tuesday, 12 January

0830    Coffee
0900    Earthquake Damage Assessment: (T. Krauthammer, Ph. D., P. Eng., Professor, Civil Engineering
             Department, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA, A. Danay, Ph. D, P. Eng., Principal, Danay
             Engineering Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
0945    Fire Damage Assessment: (J. M. Franssen, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
             University of Liege, BELGIUM).
1030    New Techniques to Investigate Potential Shear Failures in Reinforced Concrete Structures:
             (M.P. Collins, Ph. D, P. Eng., Bahen-Tanenbaum Professor of Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering
             Department, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada).
1115    Coffee
1145    Prediction and Evaluation of Extreme Environmental Loads: (B. Weisman, Ph. D., ACM, International
             Climatic Evaluations Inc.,Toronto, Ontario, Canada).  
1230    Discussion

1300    Lunch

1415    Corrosion Failure, Mitigation and Protection : (H.A. Webster, P. Eng., Chairman of the Board,
             Corrosion Service Company Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada). 
1500    Blasting Operations near Existing Structures: (L. McAnuff, P. Eng., Golder VME Limited,
             Mississauga, Ontario, Canada). 
1545    Coffee
1615    Design Analysis and Failure Evaluation of Guyed Towers (S. Weisman, M.A. Sc., P. Eng., President,
            Weisman Consulting Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
1700    Repair of Concrete Structures: (A. Brown, B. A. Sc., Golder Associates, Whitby, Ontario, Canada)

First Structural Forensic Engineering Seminar on  Structural Failure Investigations
January 11 to 12, 1999, University of Toronto, Hart House Theater, Ontario, Canada

Fax / Mail Registration
Please print and complete the order form below. A check for the total amount or credit card account information must accompany all orders.

Title, First & Last Name________________________________Job Title ____________________

Organization ___________________________Address ___________________________________

City _______________State /Province___________Country___________Zip /Postal Code ____

Phone ( )____________Fax ( )_____________E-mail ______________________________

Approving Manager __________________Manager's Title_______________________________

EarlyBird register by November 15, 1998
   Total registration fee:     For Non-Residents                                                        = US$340
                                            For Canadian Residents = C$510 + C$35.70 GST = C$545.70
After November 15, 1998
   Total registration fee:     For Non-Residents                                                        = US$375
                                            For Canadian Residents = C$560 + C$39.20 GST = C$599.20
Fee includes: attendance at the seminar, copy of proceedings of presented papers, lunch, morning and afternoon coffee on both days. Cancellations will incur an administrative charge of US$50 (C$75), if written confirmation is received by Danay Engineering Ltd. by January 1, 1999.  No refunds will be given after this date, but substitute delegates will be welcome.

Method of Payment:

Check or Money Order: Total Enclosed ___________________________
Please mail to Danay Engineering Ltd. , 5000 Dufferin Street, Suite 210, Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T5 CANADA

Please fax this form to (416) 650 9166

Inquiries: Contact Ari Danay at Tel. (416) 650-7166, Fax. (416) 650-9166 or by Email at

adanay@structural-forensic.com. Further details, including speakers biosketches and synopses of the presentations are given at the Web Site www.structural-forensic.com.

Hotel Reservations: The University of Toronto campus is located in the heart of downtown Toronto near the Parliament Buildings. We have arranged special seminar rates for the following hotels, which are within walking distance.

The Role of Structural Failure Investigation in Construction Law Practice: (Jon B. Masini, Esq. ,AIA, Daar, Fisher, Kanaris & Vanek, P.C., Attorneys at Law, Chicago, Illinois,USA ).

Synopsis

Jon B. Masini, Esq., AIA is a partner at the Chicago law firm of Daar, Fisher, Kanaris & Vanek, P.C. In addition to being an attorney, Mr. Masini is also a licensed architect, member of the American Institute of Architects and a former specification writer and member of the Construction Specifications Institute. Mr. Masini graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1984 with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree and received his Juris Doctor Degree from Loyola University of Chicago in 1989. He specializes in construction law and has represented owners, architects, engineers, contractors and insurers in a variety of construction cases, including several major lawsuits arising from structural failures.

The Role of Structural Failure Investigation in Insurance Claims: (C. H. Fogden, Senior Vice-President, Aon Reed Stenhouse,                Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Synopsis

Charles H. Fogden is a Senior Vice President at the insurance broking and risk management consulting firm of Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc.. Mr.Fogden has been an insurance broker for 19 years and specialises in risk placement on behalf of North American organisations in insurance markets worldwide. Mr.Fogden commenced his risk placement training as a brolker at Lloyd's of London and represents the clients of Aon Reed Stenhouse in asset protection, construction, transportation and infrastructure projects around the globe.  Mr. Fogden is a member of the Chartered Institute of Transport and the Risk and Insurance Management Society speakers' bureau.

Structural Failure Investigation Process and Techniques: (A. Danay, P. Eng., Principal, Danay Engineering Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Synopsis

Biosketch

Dr. Ari Danay, the principal of Danay Engineering Ltd., is a structural engineer with over 25 years experience in Canada, US and UK. He performed structural investigations for forensic engineering, safety analyses, and rehabilitation applications in a variety of engineering projects, such as steel and reinforced concrete structures in hydraulic, thermal and nuclear generating stations, piping and pressure vessels, concrete dams, high-rise buildings, and off-shore platforms.

His field of expertise, in which he has authored several technical papers in international journals, is structural mechanics and its applications to computer modeling, development of innovative analytical and experimental techniques, in-situ and laboratory testing, and structural instrumentation monitoring.

Experimental Method: Instrumentation Monitoring, Field and Laboratory Testing:         (L. Carpenter, P. Eng.,Carpenter Consulting, Lakewood, Colorado, USA)

Synopsis

Biosketch

Mr. Lynn Carpenter retired from the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation after 36 years as a laboratory research engineer and developer of field automation systems for large dams. He presently operates a consulting practice in Lakewood, Colorado USA, specializing in automated instrumentation monitoring and early warning systems. Mr. Carpenter has consulted on projects in the United States and Canada. He consulted for Ontario Hydro on remediation work instrumentation automation on Saunders Dam and for Hydro Quebec on Daniel Johnson Dam’s monitor network.

New Techniques to Investigate Potential Shear Failures in Reinforced Concrete Structures: (M.P. Collins, Ph. D, P. Eng., Bahen-Tanenbaum Professor of Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Synopsis

The 1991 one-billion dollar loss of the Norwegian Sleipner offshore gas platform, the 1995 catastrophic collapse of the piers of the Haustin Expressway in Japan and the 1998 sudden collapse of an underground garage in Toronto all provide evidence of the vulnerability of reinforced concrete structures to shear failures, Understanding the causes of such failures and developing techniques to predict the shear strength of reinforced concrete structures have been the adjectives of a long-term research project at the University of Toronto. This presentation will summarize some of the major results of this project by illustrating the application of the analytical tools which have been developed to actual structures.

Biosketch

Professor Collins graduated from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, Now Zealand, in 1963 and from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, in 1967. A faculty member at the University of Toronto since 1969, he has led a long-term research project aimed at developing rational procedures for the shear design of reinforced concrete structures As an active consulting engineer, be has participated in the design of offshore oil platform and in the evaluation of rehabilitation of buildings, silos, bridges and other civil engineering structures.

Biosketch

John Westland, P.Eng., is an Associate of Golder Associates Ltd. where he has worked since graduating from the University of Toronto with both B.A.Sc. and M.A.Sc. degrees. John is presently the manager of Golder Associates geotechnical group in Mississauga and is the project manager for Golder's role as program geotechnical consultant for the design and construction of Sheppard Subway. John has been involved in the investigation and remediation of several geotechnical engineering related failures including: ravine landslides, failed retaining walls, distressed pavements, tunneling induced sinkholes, distorted utilities and cracked and distorted houses. His clients for such projects have included insurers, owners, lawyers and engineers.

John L. Seychuk, P. Eng. - John Seychuk graduated in 1954 from the University of Manitoba in Civil Engineering and, under the auspices of an Anthone Fellowship, later obtained a post graduate DIC in Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering at Imperial College in London, England. Over the past 40 years he has participated in a variety of foundation engineering projects and problems throughout the world, primarily with the global consulting firm of Golder Associates, where he served for some time as President of overall operations. John is presently a geo-engineering consultant specializing in the forensic engineering field, including professional liability and risk minimization matters.

Earthquake Damage Assessment: (T. Krauthammer, Ph. D., P. Eng., Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA, A. Danay, Ph. D, P. Eng., Principal, Danay Engineering Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Synopsis

Biosketches

Prof. Krauthammer obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the Technion in Israel, and his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His main research and technical activities are directed at structural behavior under severe dynamic loads, including considerations of both survivability and fragility aspects of facilities subjected to blast, shock and impact. Prof. Krauthammer has written more than 220 research publications, and has been invited to lecture in the USA and abroad. He serves on nine technical committees of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ACI and the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB). His work has included the development of design recommendations for enhancing structural performance, physical security and safety of buildings, facilities and systems. Additionally, he has been involved in the safety and physical security assessment of buildings and facilities before and after violent loading events and has been a consultant to industry and governments in the USA and abroad. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, US Air Force, US Army, Defense Special Weapons Agency, US Navy, Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board, Norwegian Defence Construction Service, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration.

Dr. Ari Danay, the principal of Danay Engineering Ltd., is a structural engineer with over 25 years experience in Canada, US and UK. He performed structural investigations for forensic engineering, safety analyses, and rehabilitation applications in a variety of engineering projects, such as steel and reinforced concrete structures in hydraulic, thermal and nuclear generating stations, piping and pressure vessels, concrete dams, high-rise buildings, and off-shore platforms.

His field of expertise, in which he has authored several technical papers in international journals, is structural mechanics and its applications to computer modeling, development of innovative analytical and experimental techniques, in-situ and laboratory testing, and structural instrumentation monitoring.

Fire Damage Assessment: (J. M. Franssen, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Liege, BELGIUM).

Synopsis

Jean-Marc Franssen graduated from the University of Liege as a civil engineer in 1982, when he started to work as a researcher for the National Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium). His first works on the modelling of the behaviour of structures submitted to the fire had a strong influence on the content of different Fire Eurocodes and lead to his Ph. D. in 1987. While he has still been working in this field since that time, his more recent "Thèse d'Agrégation de l'Enseignement Supérieur" in 1997 contains several contributions in relation to fire modeling and fire risk analysis. He has now the position of Senior Research Associate of the N.F.S.R. and is a member of RILEM TC 129-MHT Materials at High Temperatures.

Explosion Damage Assessment: (T. Krauthammer, Ph. D., P. Eng., Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Penn State University,, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA)

Explosion damage assessment (EDA) is a vital activity that has a profound impact on both rescue operations and reconstruction decisions. EDA are difficult processes in which observed data is mapped into the physical signatures and failure modes for the evaluated site. These are crucial processes for effective management of rescue operations, and a correct analysis is essential. However, the current capabilities are slow, not very effective, and subjective, as they include undefined uncertainties. Serious limitations in these capabilities known from previous incidents have been confirmed.

These issues have been investigated by researchers at the Penn State University. They have explored the use of advanced sensors, signal processing techniques, data fusion, and the combination of symbolic reasoning procedures with specific efficient numeric and fuzzy logic codes. This presentation will include:

Biosketch

Prof. Krauthammer obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the Technion in Israel, and his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His main research and technical activities are directed at structural behavior under severe dynamic loads, including considerations of both survivability and fragility aspects of facilities subjected to blast, shock and impact. Prof. Krauthammer has written more than 220 research publications, and has been invited to lecture in the USA and abroad. He serves on nine technical committees of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ACI and the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB). His work has included the development of design recommendations for enhancing structural performance, physical security and safety of buildings, facilities and systems. Additionally, he has been involved in the safety and physical security assessment of buildings and facilities before and after violent loading events and has been a consultant to industry and governments in the USA and abroad. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, US Air Force, US Army, Defense Special Weapons Agency, US Navy, Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board, Norwegian Defence Construction Service, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration.

Prediction and Evaluation of Extreme Environmental Loads: (B. Weisman, Ph. D., ACM, International Climatic Evaluations Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada).  

Biosketch

Corrosion Failure, Mitigation and Protection : (H.A. Webster, P. Eng., President, Corrosion Service Company Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada). 

Biosketch

Mr. H.A. Webster, P. Eng.  Mr. Harry Webster, a registered Professional Engineer and designated Consulting Engineer in Ontario, is co-founder and president of Corrosion Service Company Ltd., with offices in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Middle East. He has specialized in corrosion since his graduation from University of Toronto with a Ba. Sc. in Electrical Engineering in 1952.   Mr. Webster is a Corrosion Specialist accredited by NACE International and a past president of this Association.  During his career, he has dealt with a large variety of corrosion problems, some of which have involved building structures. 

Blasting Operations near Existing Structures: (Mr. L. McAnuff, P. Eng., Golder VME Limited, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada). 

Biosketch

A Consulting Specialist to Golder VME Limited, Lance McAnuff has specialized in explosives, blasting and vibration monitoring, control and consultation for more than forty years. He was a Founding Member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers in 1975 and served a twoyear term, 1977-78, as Chairman of the Noise and Vibration Sub-Group of the Environmental Committee of the National Crushed Stone Association in the United States. He was a member of the Canadian Standards Association Industrial Noise Committee and was Task Force Leader for the production of CAN3Z107.54-M85, "Procedure for Measurement of Sound and Vibration due to Blasting Operations". By appointment of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, he was a member of the Ad Hoc committee formed to review all changes in blasting aspects of the Ontario "Model Municipal Noise Control By-Law," first published by that Ministry in 1975. He was elected to the Drilling and Blasting Council for Construction in Ontario, an Advisory Group to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, and has been active in the Blasting Committee for the Aggregate Producers Association of Ontario. He is currently serving on the Blaster Training Committee of the Ontario Chapter of the International Society of Explosives Engineers and was a 1998 recipient of the President's Award of that society.

A pioneer in practical techniques for the control of blasting involving minimal separation distances, Mr. McAnuff is widely recognized as one of the leading authorities in this field in North America today. His work has taken him to all ten Provinces and both Territories of Canada, and he has also worked extensively in the United States and Overseas. To date he has written or co-authored seventeen technical papers and articles on various aspects of blasting safety and control and is frequently called upon to testify in court and at regulatory board hearings as an expert witness in this field.

Design Analysis and Failure Evaluation of Guyed Towers (S. Weisman, M.A. Sc., P. Eng, Weisman Consulting Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Biosketch

Simon Weisman, M.A.Sc., P.Eng.Simon Weisman is the founder and president of Weisman Consultants Inc., a 17 year old structural engineering consulting firm specializing in the design, analysis and inspection of Communication and Broadcast towers, as well as of Guymast Inc., a company developing, marketing and supporting tower analysis software.  He has had extensive experience in the design  of towers all over North America, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) short-wave towers in Sackville, New Brunswick,  a CBC 244 m (800 ft.) Alberta sectionalized AM tower at Brossard, Quebec; reinforcing of a number of 90 m (300 ft.) self supporting towers using guys, four 213 m (700 ft.) Loran C towers for the US Coast Guard in the western states, and a number of 150 m (500 ft.) lattice leg self supporting towers to be used in Louisiana, Florida and New York City.  In addition, Mr. Weisman has experience in investigating tower failures on behalf of Insurance Companies, as well as training of engineers for tower analysis, design and inspection.

Repair of Concrete Structures: (A. Brown, B. A. Sc., Golder Associates, Whitby, Ontario, Canada)

Biosketch

Mr. Alexander (Sandy) Brown, B.A.Sc., is an Associate as well as Senior Geotechnical and Materials Engineer with Golder Associates. He is responsible for the administration of the regional materials testing facility in the Whitby office. In addition, he has provided specialist concrete, asphalt and construction materials technology input and  review on a wide range of projects throughout Ontario, including: concrete bridge deck assessments; investigations of distress to concrete structures; pavement performance evaluations and pavement design of asphalt and concrete pavements; construction quality assurance; aggregate assessments; and supervision of underwater evaluation of bridges and other structures. He has also acted as Project Engineer for a major research study of shotcrete for bridge repair carried out on behalf of MTO. Also carried out investigations of distress to concrete structures and evaluation of concrete bridge decks including over 50 structures for MTO, Metro and other Municipalities.

Danay Engineering Ltd.