Forensic Engineering Expert Witnesses

Mechanical Solutions, Inc. (MSI) performs litigation support through its extensive engineering capabilities, and when required, through expert testimony. MSI uses advanced finite element analysis (FEA), rotor dynamics, and torsional analysis tools, and uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze 3-D steady or unsteady fluid flows and heat transfer, enabled by its 230 high speed processor supercomputers.

MSI also uses top-of-the-line testing equipment, including multichannel FFT analyzers (up to 200 simultaneous channels) to accurately read the outputs of various vibration, stress/strain, and pressure sensors, as a function of both time and frequency. As a unique additional test capability, MSI uses motion magnification video cameras to amplify and display scene vibration by 1000x. MSI uses calibrated exciters while equipment remains running, to locate structural, rotor, and acoustic natural frequency resonances as they exist at any particular operating point, without interfering with machinery operation. In addition, MSI performs stress, acoustic, dynamic pressure pulsation, electric current spectrum, and aero/hydraulic performance testing.

Areas of Expertise:

Solving Challenges with Rotating Machinery Vibrations

William D. Marscher, PE, performs expert witnessing and engineering work in the field of Fluid Systems and their Rotating and Reciprocating Machinery, particularly large turbines, generators, compressors, and pumps. His typical work responsibilities include design, analysis, and testing of all types of plant machinery, as well as other types of fluid and mechanical systems. Mr. Marscher has background in various types of turbines (including hydraulic, steam, and gas), as well as various types of pumps, including centrifugal as well as positive displacement (e.g. reciprocating, gear, rotary, and screw).

Mr. Marscher's expert witnessing experience includes 27 cases over the course of his 50+ year career, for which he provided detailed engineering reports in support of the case. This legal support experience includes witnessing in front of tribunals four times, and testifying in Federal Court in four cases. He also has performed depositions 11 times. 

For the past 45 years, Mr. Marscher has been a voting member of the ASTM Fatigue Standards Committee E9, as well as the ASTM Wear & Erosion Standards Committee G2. He is also the past Board of Directors Chairman for the Machinery Failure Prevention Technology Society (MFPT), and has been active in the Vibration Institute. Mr. Marscher is a 23-year member of the Texas A&M Turbine-Pump Users Symposium Advisory Committee (essentially the Board of Directors for the Symposium). For ASME, he was Chair of the Predictive Maintenance committee and was Organizing and Presiding Chair of the 1993 RoCon Rotating Machinery Conference and the 1995 Tribology Conference.

Dr. Edward Bennett is MSI’s VP of Fluids Engineering.  Dr. Bennett graduated from the Naval Academy, following which he was a navy test pilot.  Later he received his PhD in Fluid Dynamics from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Bennett has been a well-known leader in Fluid Dynamics and the Aero/hydrodynamic Design of Turbomachinery for the past thirty plus years.  

In 1995, Dr. Bennett founded ASC Turbo, a design house that combined the CFD software from Advanced Scientific Computing and specialized turbomachinery design software.  During this time, he worked on the development of BladeGen, a 3-dimensional turbomachinery blade geometry kernel, and also performed a key role design work that included the starter turbine and vapor cycle compressor for the F-22 Raptor fighter, several biomechanical cardiac pumps, a LOX rocket turbopump, as well as numerous more “conventional” turbomachinery designs. After this, he served as Director of Turbopumps for Gencorp Aerojet, and authored the hydraulic design methodology that is still in use by that organization.

At MSI, Dr. Bennett oversees fluid dynamic design and analysis of pumps, compressors, and turbines, including various sizes of hydroturbine generators.  This work includes detailed computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis, as well as test rig design, and flow loop/ wind tunnel validation testing.  Recently, he has supported major law firms with expert report writing and detailed two-phase flow unsteady CFD analysis of 100MW and 400 MW hydroturbines in the US and Canada.

Paul A. Boyadjis is Director of Rotating Machinery Analysis for MSI.  Mr. Boyadjis has a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University where he graduated summa cum laude.  He has over 35 years of diverse experience in the analysis and Design of Centrifugal Pumps and Pumping Systems, as well as Centrifugal Compressors. His specialty includes complex 3D solids modeling for stress and vibration analysis using advanced finite element techniques, and he has worked as a lead analytical engineer for major manufacturers. 

Mr. Boyadjis is also an expert at rotordynamics, and field testing. He has enjoyed participating as a Hydraulic Institute Standards Partner for over a decade, and became vice chair of its Vibration Committee, and was named Standards Partner of the Year in 2021.  Paul played a key role in various standards. 

Years ago, Mr. Mr. Boyadjis developed the solids modeling and advanced finite element analysis capabilities at the Government Marine Business unit of Ingersoll-Rand, and wrote many of the structural and vibration analysis procedures for that division. As mergers took place, he then transferred these analytical capabilities to the Research and Development group of Ingersoll-Dresser Pump and later Flowserve.

While with MSI, Mr. Boyadjis has conducted detailed 3D finite element analysis of failed casings and impellers, performing forensic investigations, and when necessary, providing successful design enhancements for industrial and municipal customers. He has directed or participated in many testing and troubleshooting projects, particularly for water and wastewater pumping systems.

View MSI's Consulting Profile.

Page Engineering is a professional consulting firm that combines Ergonomics, Industrial Engineering, and Health and Safety expertise. They have served industry leaders in the areas of Transportation, Shipping, Manufacturing, and Health Care throughout the United States and Canada. Established in 1994, their approach is bolstered by years of litigation scrutiny and backed by extensive application of ergonomics, human factors, epidemiologic, and occupational medical scientific literature. They specialize in human factors and ergonomics assessments, including both acute and cumulative exposures and their hands-on approach is backed by extensive research and measurement of actual work exposure to occupational physical factors and workplace design.

Litigation Support - The professionals at Page Engineering provide forensic engineering and root cause analysis expert witness services to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense. Their areas of expertise include:

George B. Page, CPE, is a Certified Professional Ergonomist. Since founding Page Engineering, Mr. Page has been providing ergonomics services, integrating multiple disciplines (industrial engineering, safety, health, business, regulatory) to provide effective results, whether in the application of job analyses and job improvement processes or in physical job demands analyses. His experience includes conducting ergonomics analyses and research in the railroad industry, primarily, and in heavy industry, in general, for over 30 years. Clients include Union Pacific Railroad, Kansas City Southern Railways, Association of American Railroads, FedEx, American Petroleum Institute, Food Marketing Institute, Food Distributors International, Blue Water Bridge Authority, USPS. His expertise includes job exposure assessments, physical demands assessments, accident reconstruction, and forensic engineering.

Greg G. Weames, CPE, CCPE, CRSP, is a Certified Professional Ergonomist who provides forensic services regarding Musculoskeletal Injury / Disorder Risk and expert testimony. Since joining Page Engineering, Inc., Mr. Weames has been asked to provide consulting services in ergonomics for over 500 cases involving civil lawsuit work-related injury/disorder claims. With training, education, and experience in musculoskeletal injury and musculoskeletal disorder as a focus, he applies generally accepted methodology in his analysis of causation to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty. Mr. Weames has his expert witness experience from within the railroad industry, which includes transportation, construction maintenance, mechanical shop, communications, and office environments that support a large variety of jobs and work tasks. Over the past 20 years of providing expert witness services, Mr. Weames has relied on independent, objective measurements of claimed exposures to occupational physical factors and the epidemiologic scientific literature, relevant ergonomics guidelines, and standards to support his opinions. Mr. Weames has given depositions and has appeared at jury trials in both State and Federal US courts during his years doing expert witness work.

Stephen D. Fleming, CPE, CXLT, is an Industrial Engineer / Ergonomist whose background includes analyzing work environments and work tasks using industrial engineering work measurement methods and risk assessment models for different body regions. His expertise is in assisting industrial clients in applying ergonomics to workplace processes, tools, and equipment, including all major North American railroads, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, Lear Seating, USPS, and the Blue Water Bridge Authority. Mr. Fleming has been acknowledged for developing and implementing a methodology for measuring and analyzing exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) and hand-arm vibration (HAV).

View Page Engineering's Consulting Profile.

R. Kevin Smith P.E., D.F.E. has been a specialist in Engineering Forensic Safety and Design for 44 years. He has consulted on over 1,000 matters nationwide. Mr. Smith is a registered professional engineer and holds a BSME and MMAE from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He is board certified forensic engineer through NAFE. He specialties include  Material Handling Equipment Safety, including lift trucks, dock safety, truck loading, conveyors, aerial work platforms, Construction Equipment Safety, Trucking Industry Safety including safe loading procedures and interactions at loading/unloading facilities, and Accident Reconstruction.

He is an active member of the committee that writes the Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks (ASME/ANSI B56.1) for over 40 years. He also serves on the B56.6 committee (rough terrain lift trucks) and the ANSI A92.5 and A92.6 subcommittees (self-propelled elevating work platforms), as well as the A92.20, A92.22, A92.22 series of ANSI standards for MEWPs (Mobile Elevating Work Platforms).

 Litigation Support - Mr. Smith formerly worked for Triodyne, Inc. for over 15 years as a forensic engineer/principal engineer. As President of R. K. Smith Engineering Inc., for 28 years, he currently has a laboratory for examination and testing, and owns or has access to varied testing equipment and tools.He has testified at depositions and trials on several hundred matters. Mr. Smith has performed hundreds of investigations into product failures involving injury and property damage, and has reconstructed numerous accidents. His expertise is available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. Mr. Smith also was previously on the Adjunct Math faculty at Prairie State College for 13 years. 

Areas of Expertise:

View R. Kevin Smith's Consulting Profile.

Since 1988, Real-World Forensic Engineering, LLC ("RWFE") has provided engineering services to industries and government labs, as well as litigation support to both plaintiff and defense attorneys practicing in many areas.

RWFE Areas of Expertise Include:

At RWFE, we proudly distinguish ourselves by our Four C's:

CREDENTIALS. COMPETENCE. CREDIBILITY. COMMUNICATION.

Design Evaluation – Accident Investigation – Intellectual Property - Failure Analysis – Fire Cause & Origin – Component Testing - Computer Aided Drafting – Accident Animation - Expert Witness & Litigation Support

www.ExpertEngineering.com

Dr. Shakir Shatnawi, PhD, PE, is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the Transportation Engineering industry. Shakir has a Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering. He has over 30 years of practical and extensive engineering and transportation expertise covering industry and public agencies including FHWA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). 

Shakir is currently the president of Shatec Engineering Consultants. He taught highway engineering, traffic engineering and transportation engineering and pavement design at California State University. Dr. Shatnawi served as a principal investigator on multi-million dollar transportation projects. He held various positions at Caltrans including a Senior Transportation Engineer, a Supervising Transportation Engineer and a Division Chief.

 Dr. Shatnawi's education and experience demonstrates a wealth of engineering knowledge encompassing highway design, traffic engineering, pavement design, geotechnical engineering, materials and construction . As a recipient of many acknowledgements from the government, Dr. Shatnawi has an impeccable reputation within the industry for his significant professional contributions. As an expert orator, he frequently shares his knowledge at major conferences around the world. Dr. Shatnawi provides expert witness services in the following areas:

View Dr. Shatnawi's Consulting Profile.

Mechanical Engineer - Turbomachinery Expert. Gas turbine engines, steam turbines, jet engines, compressors, pumps, expanders, generators, cogeneration, combustion equipment, diesel engines, and reciprocating compressors. 

Failure analysis, stress analysis, mechanical design, design analysis, troubleshooting, performance analysis, durability assessment. Access to metallurgical laboratory. Experienced Expert witness. 

Please see our Service List at https://sbkushnick.com/servicelist.pdf for a concise description.

Sean Brossia, PhD, is a Corrosion, Materials, Mechanical Integrity, Reliability, and Industrial Equipment Failure expert with more than 30 years of experience across chemical, refining, pharmaceutical, paper, pipeline, manufacturing, and industrial facilities. He also has experience in aerospace, ground vehicle, agricultural and industrial equipment, biomedical implants, consumer packaging, and infrastructure assets. Through Vulcan Integrity, he provides expert witness and litigation support for matters involving corrosion damage, materials degradation, inspection adequacy, risk-based inspection, mechanical integrity, maintenance and reliability practices, material selection, and equipment failure causation.

Litigation Support - Dr. Brossia's litigation support includes case merit review, technical document review, failure analysis review, causation analysis, inspection and maintenance program evaluation, standard-of-care assessment, expert reports, rebuttal support, deposition testimony, and trial testimony. He has testified and been deposed, has supported both defense and plaintiff matters, and has never had his opinions excluded.

Dr. Brossia’s opinions are grounded in engineering principles, available data, physical evidence, operating history, inspection records, industry standards, and recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. He is experienced with API, ASME, ASTM, AMPP/NACE, PHMSA, OSHA, EPA, PIP, and RAGAGEP-related expectations, and has participated in standards development activities.

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Brossia is known for explaining complex corrosion, materials, reliability, and mechanical integrity issues in clear, practical terms that attorneys, judges, arbitrators, and juries can understand. His background includes leadership roles in engineering, maintenance, reliability, corrosion management, fixed equipment integrity, research and development, asset integrity consulting, and corrosion monitoring technology. He is a NACE/AMPP Fellow, has over 80 publications and book chapters, and holds multiple patents related to corrosion monitoring and sensing technologies.