MATERIAL FORENSICS, LLP
Contact us whenever you must have a scientific explanation for how a material caused a failure, catastrophic damage, an accident, fire or an explosion. We will provide you with sound advice and professional guidance every step of the way ...from site inspection to legal testimony.
Remember that regardless of whether the failure was caused by stress, heat, electrical overload, or chemical reaction, in the end,
...it is always the material that fails.
CONSULTING SERVICES
We have the knowledge and experience to uncover subtle clues about how a product or structure failed, then explain the cause and origin in simple terms. Whether the material is metal, ceramic, polymer, or composite, we offer a variety of services customized to fit your specific needs. We can serve as your materials expert, perform reviews of other expert witness data, and provide guidance on new product design.
Learn more about how we can assist you with claims and legal matters by contacting us today.
INSURANCE INVESTIGATIONS
SUBROGATION
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE
MECHANICAL/STRUCTURAL
ELECTRICAL/FIRE
ATTORNEY EXPERT WITNESS
DEPOSITION/TRIAL
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
INCORRECT MATERIALS
UNKNOWN SUBSTANCES
MATERIAL SELECTION
CORROSION/FRACTURE/FATIGUE
MATERIALS ENGINEERING
STANDARDS/SPECIFICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE
Selected Prior Cases
Specialized Materials
- Fracture from overstressed carbon composite prosthetic foot
-- Sulfur-induced cracking from acid rain in synthetic slate roof
-- Lava mist attack on zinc-copper roofing tiles
- Chemistry of detergent surfactant that caused slip and fall
- Alleged explosion of asphalt slurry in tanker
- Cause and origin of permanently etched window glass
- Authenticity of deer fur embedded in automobile grille
Chemical/Corrosion
- Microbially-induced corrosion (MIC) in food processing plant
- Stray current corrosion in galvanized flashing of condominium
- Corrosion from chemicals poured into university laboratory drains
- Chloride stress cracking as fracture mechanism in polysulfone
- Corrosion of painted, weathering steel in city water reservoir
- Deionized water attack of cooling system in semiconductor facility
Mechanical/Plumbing/Fracture
- Testified on alleged dezincification in high-rise apartment complex
- Silver leaching from stressed manifolds in high rise plumbing
- Brazing flux as source of corrosion leaks in refrigerant tubing
- Stress concentration fracturing of engineered stone bathtub
- Properties of rubber composite used in storm sewer valves
Industrial/Structural/Marine
- Airport jetway collapse
-- Fractures in bearings/gears that caused boom truck collapse
- Distortion in concrete bridge patterns from foam-backed formliners
- Corrosion causing disengagement of motorcycle sidecar
- Failure of acrylic panel joint in large infinity pool
- Material selections for lined caustic water steel towers
- Leaks in brazed heat exchanger plates
Daniel P. Henkel, PhD, PE, FASM
Dr. Henkel was formerly a NASA scientist, materials research director, innovation leader, and corporate executive with over 30 years in advanced manufacturing processes and materials engineering. He has numerous publications, obtained four patents, authored a textbook entitled Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials, taught graduate school in applied science, won the prestigious Engineering Materials Achievement Award, and is an elected Fellow of ASM International (FASM).
He completed his MS and Ph.D. at Lehigh University, where his research areas were physical metallurgy, forensics, and non-destructive evaluation. He is also a graduate of Pennsylvania State University in electrical engineering and is a registered professional engineer (PE).
Dr. Henkel’s materials processing expertise includes additive manufacturing (3D printing), welding, casting, injection molding, forming, sintering, heat treatment, and microstructural optimization. He developed commercial products using thin film membranes, catalytic nanoparticles, sol-gel coatings, ductile cast iron, and porous ceramics. His product experience spans diverse industries such as industrial filtration and separation, chemical processing, high/low voltage electrical switches, high vacuum equipment, fuel cells, medical devices, space flight, petrochemical, industrial piping, microelectronics, bridges and highway structures, municipal water systems, and aerospace.
Dr. Henkel’s materials expertise includes carbon and stainless steels, aluminum alloys, copper/brass, nickel base superalloys, titanium, intermetallics, carbon-reinforced composites; CPVC, PVC, acrylic, polycarbonate, nylon, acetal, and asphaltic polymers; paints, concrete, wood, glass, and engineering ceramics. He also has experience with material characterization of unknown substances performed with FTIR, TGA, GC-MS, and SEM/EDS. His corrosion experience includes microbially-induced corrosion (MIC), sulfidation, selective leaching, cavitation, sensitization, oxidation, carburization, erosion, chloride stress corrosion cracking, and crevice corrosion.
