Expert Witness Service
Diagnosing of failures in engineering cases and accidents requires forensic engineering experts with relevant knowledge and experience. Expert witness are many a times called upon by the Plaintiff or Defendant in litigation cases to assist the Court in diagnosing and explaining the cause of failure. Expert witness service are also frequently used in insurance claim cases.
Our multi-faceted engineering expertise and extensive hands-on experience in failure analysis, foreign engineering and condition assessment cases enable us to provide highly comprehensive expert witness services in litigation and insurance claim cases.
We build our reputation as an independent and unbiased expert witness based on facts supported by evidence that are backed by our advanced in-house laboratory analysis and NDT services. We have been engaged as expert witnesses and are experienced in providing testimonies in litigation and arbitration cases related to failures and accidents in a wide spectrum of industries. We can be involved in the design, fabrication, construction and operational phases of a project. We have undertaken numerous high profile cases involving incidents due to failure of equipment, pipes and machineries, collapse of structures, falseworks, hoists and cranes, fire, explosions and floods.
For an expert witness to be credible and effective, any investigation carried out should be based on systematic study and supported by scientific evidence and logical evaluation that can be substantiated and justified in Court. The benefits of a credible expert witness include:
- Ability to provide scientific evidence to support the case
- Ability to build up the case based on logical evaluation and understanding of scientific and engineering principles
- Ability to assist the client and legal team to understand the strength and weakness of the case
Most importantly, the expert witness should conduct the service in an independent manner with integrity and understanding that the ultimate duty is to the Court.
Some of our experts and consultants in this region
Robert SHANDRO
Principal Consultant
Robert SHANDRO
Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science - Specialist in failure investigation, forensic engineering and condition assessment with more than 30 years of consulting experience in Energy, Aerospace, Transportation, Shipbuilding and Public Works.
Member of French delegation for ISO TC60 (Technical Committee), Expert in load capacity calculation of gears, terminologies, notation, strength and quality of materials for gears.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Failure analysis of a wide range of mechanical equipment/components and structural facilities
- Expert witness for litigation and insurance claims
- Expert consultant and technical support on patent litigations
- Forensic engineering investigation of industrial failures and accidents
- Design, verification and failure analysis of mechanical power transmission components.
- Condition and remnant life assessment of mechanical power transmission components
- Standardization works (ISO TC60)
Lim Kie YONG
Operations Director
LIM Kie Yong
LIM KIE YONG
Specializing in the field of forensic engineering, failure investigation and condition assessment with more than 25 years of consulting experience in the oil and gas, petrochemicals, marine, manufacturing, utilities, building, pressure vessels, lifting equipment and aerospace industries.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Failure analysis in mechanical equipment/components and structural facilities
- Forensic engineering investigation of industrial failures, fires, explosions and accidents
- Condition and remnant life assessment of pressure vessels, lifting equipment and structural facilities.
- Non-destructive inspection and evaluation
- Expert witness for litigation and insurance cases
Kok Chye LIAM
Principal Consultant
Kok Chye LIAM
Mechanical Engineer (PE) – Specializing in failure analysis and condition assessment work through integration of mechanical engineering and materials/corrosion expertise.
Expert Engineer (IES Engineering Expert Panel – Forensic Engineering and Materials/Corrosion)
Specialist Professional Engineer in Lifting Equipment and Cranes (PEB).
Who’s Who in Engineering (Singapore), SrMIES, MNACE and MAPIEx
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Failure analysis of mechanical equipment/components and structural facilities
- Condition and remnant life assessment of high temperature equipment/plants, lifting equipment and structural facilities
- Forensic engineering investigation of industrial failures and accidents
- Failure and damage mechanisms in oil and gas and petrochemical industries
- Materials and corrosion consultancy
- Expert witness for litigation and insurance cases
Jennifer LIM
Senior Consultant
Jennifer LIM
Jennifer is a Senior Consultant with Cetim-Matcor Technology & Services Pte Ltd in the field of mechanical, materials and corrosion engineering pertaining to forensic engineering, failure investigation and condition assessment.
She has over twelve (12) years of consulting experience in the oil and gas, petrochemicals, marine, manufacturing, utilities, building, pressure vessels, lifting equipment and aerospace industries and engaged in failure investigation and condition assessment cases both locally and internationally.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Materials, Corrosion, Mechanical, Machinery and Structural Failures
- Condition, metallurgical and life assessment
- Failure investigation
- Expert witness for litigation and insurance claims and loss adjusting cases
- Non-destructive evaluation, remote visual inspection
- Third party inspection and quality assurance
Carla CANTURRI
R&D Consultant
Carla CANTURRI
Carla is a Consultant with Cetim-Matcor Technology & Services Pte Ltd in the field of mechanics and materials with a focus on polymer composites and polymer materials. Carla has over twelve years of Research and Development experience in the Aerospace, Oil & Gas, Energy and Transportation industries.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Failure analysis of polymeric and polymeric composite components
- Condition assessment of polymers and polymer composites
- Non-destructive evaluation of composites
- Mechanical characterisation of composite materials
Judy GOH
Consultant
Judy GOH
Having graduated in Material Science and Engineering, she has been an engineer and a consultant for 10 years within Matcor.
She has performed numerous cases in the failure analysis and forensic investigation for system and component failures for various industries.
She is one of the leads to perform the remnant life assessment and risk based inspection assessment for pressure vessels and piping for service life extension purpose.
She also has experience as an expert consultant for litigation and insurance claims and loss adjusting cases.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Failure Analysis
- Remnant Life Assessment
- Fitness for Service Assessment
- Risk Based Inspection (RBI) Assessment
- API Inspection
Christophe DELCHER
Principal Consultant
Christophe DELCHER
Christophe DELCHER: Senior Technical Expert in Bolted Joint:
Fields of interest:
- Definition of characterization and qualification Tests for mechanical assemblies
- Design and development of innovative assembly-solutions
- Expertise and failure analysis of bolted assemblies
- Development and improvement of standard-documents
- Training activities
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Definition of characterization and qualification Tests:
- Optimized tightening ranges studies (torque, torque and angle)
- Specific characterizations of fasteners (self-loosening with secured and locking systems, temperature, creeping,…)
Design and development of innovative assembly-solutions:
- 6 patents especially about bolted applications
Expertise and failure analysis of bolted assemblies:
- Collection of the most information related to failed assembly
- Definition of main sources of failure according to broken-faces, Metallurgic and Metrologic analysis.
- Improvement of existing design and process according to its environment
Development and improvement of standard-documents:
- R&D projects that treat of the self-loosening behaviour, threads stripping.
- Fasteners standardization : ISO 898-1, ISO 898-2, ISO 16047, ...
Training activities:
- Pedagogical manager and training animator - “Bolted assemblies: design, optimization and reliability"
Damien GUILLON
Principal Consultant
Damien GUILLON
Since 2009 : CETIM “polymer & composite engineering” team
2018-2021 : R&D Manager
2015-2018 : composite design technical leader
2013-2015 : Composite material laboratory manager
2011-2013 : Automotive composite market lead engineer
2009-2011 : Composite testing engineer
2004-2008 : Airbus central research and technology
PhD in the framework of a European research project “Advanced Low-Cost Aircraft Structures”
Design engineer : numerical modelling of fluid-structure interaction in case of tank perforation
Master thesis : cyclic hydric ageing mechanisms of composite material
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Design of composite materials
- Knowledge of behavior laws and sizing criteria
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes and economic approaches
- Implicit or explicit finite element calculation, process simulation
- Composite process
- Composite preforming process
- Stamping-overmolding process
- Filament winding and Tape deposition process
- Assembly and finishing process.
- Experimental expertise on composite material
- Standardized mechanical characterization tests
- Impact and energy absorption tests, fatigue tests, and test/model correlation
- Management of collaborative research projects
- Setting up of multi-funded projects
- Animation of partnership
- Research services agreement for industrial company
Bruno DEPALE
Principal Consultant
Bruno DEPALE
Bruno is Structural Analysis Expert of CETIM (Technical Institute of the French mechanical industry). He works mainly in the fields of machine design, steel construction and has expertise in a wide range of machines, but with a focus on cranes. Since 2004, he has been French delegate in the working groups of CEN/TC147 and ISOTC96 dealing with Crane design.
His fields of interest cover structural analysis based on FEA (Abaqus), private studies dealing with proofs and strength of structures or mechanical components, projects dealing with RLA (Residual Life Assessment) of structures/machines and training for knowledge transfer to industry (87 sessions).
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Expertise of failure modes
- Design support and optimization of machines
- Standardization
- Training (cranes design, RLA, fatigue)
- Management of professional working groups
Benoit VERQUIN
Principal Consultant
Benoit VERQUIN
Additive Manufacturing (AM) expert
AM experience : 18 years
AM processes : L-PBF, MBJ, WAAM
Metal AM machines : EOS, SLM Solutions, TRUMPF, 3D Systems , Digital Metal, Add-Up, Desktop Metal
Software : Magics, 3-Matic, Simufact
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Consulting:
- Strategic diagnostic
- Technical and economic feasibility studies
- Design for AM
- Industrialization
R&D
- Pilot of multipatenarial R&D projects : AM sharing platforms
- Materials : titanium alloys, Co-Cr, Stainless-Steel
Training
- Since 14 years
- Topics: AM process, Design rules, Materials
Yan-Ming CHEN
Principal Consultant
Yan-Ming CHEN
Yan-Ming CHEN: Senior Technical Expert in Tribology:
Fields of interest:
- Tribological design improvement of mechanical system
- Expertise and wear failure analysis
- Development of new tribological tests
- Training activities
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Tribological design improvement of mechanical system :
- Surface roughness optimization
- Contact stress analysis
- Lubrication optimization
Expertise and wear failure analysis :
- Wear mechanisms, abrasion, adhesion, fretting, surface fatigue analysis
- Material and surface treatments solutions
Tribological testing :
- Guide for standard test choice : ASTM G-32, G75, G77, G-98, G-99, G-132, G-133...
- Design of specific test for engines, compressors, pumps, bearing and other machine parts
About 20 published papers, articles and handbook chapters; on friction and wear of ceramics, coatings, stainless steels, alloys and polymers, vibrations and noise induced by friction, tribology data bank and cavitation erosion, 3 patents.
Tayeb AIOUAZ
Principal Consultant
Tayeb AIOUAZ
Tayeb AIOUAZ is Expert in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and numerical simulations of particulate flow (DEM) in the following technical fields:
- Design and conception support, engineering review & failure analysis, R&D;
- Development of modeling approaches adapted to industrial problems;
- Analysis and numerical characterization;
- Standardization, Training, consulting and knowledge transfer.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Expertise:
- Hydraulic equipment: pipe, bend, valve, pump, mixing tank, nozzle
- Calculation: Flow and pressure field, pressure drop, sizing, scaling, etc
- Free surface flows: pumping stations, sumps, channels, pipes, weirs, anti-vortex systems;
- Multi-phase flow: Bi-fluid, Charged-fluid, Sedimentation, erosion, CFD-DEM, boiling, vaporization, condensation, cavitation;
- R&D : Fluid-structure interaction, Numerical methods, Meshing.
Technical expertise:
- CFD software: SIEMENS STARCCM+, ANSYS FLUENT/CFX, OpenFOAM
- Meshing: STARCCM+, ANSYS MESHING, ICEM CFD, SALOME, cfMesh
- Programming: PYTHON, C/C++, Fortran 90/95, Perl
Customer relations: analysis of customer needs, specifications, technical proposition, demonstration, presentation
Xavier HERMITE
Principal Consultant
Xavier HERMITE
14 years experimented engineer in data management and safety analysis (RAMS) for mechanical industry
- Workgroup animation (RAMS tools, data collection and structuration, data analysis and visualization, etc.),
- Durability test specification (accelerated testing, reliability demonstration / characterization, etc.),
- Probabilities & Statistics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (supervised, unsupervised), « Big & Smart » data.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
RAMS
- Functional Analysis, PHA, FMEA, FT,
- Reliability Analysis (provisional, experimental, operational),
- Feedback of experience analysis and integration to tests specifications,
- Sampling / Resampling strategy, process monitoring.
Data Analysis
- Applied statistics (fitting, comparison, classification, modeling, etc.),
- Artificial Intelligence (reasoning, fuzzy logic, machine learning & deep learning, reinforcement, etc.).
Big Data
- Data collection and structuration,
- Programing / Software development, embedded software,
- Support to technological options,
- Database assessment (data quality, data structure, feasibility of analysis, etc.).
Software
- HBM Prenscia (nCode, Reliasoft), FTA Express,
- R, Python, LabVIEW, Visual Basic, Javascript.
Stephane SOYER
Principal Consultant
Stephane SOYER
In charge of studies and services within Cetim's NVH, NDT & IIoT pole in Senlis (France) with over 20 years of experience in the vibratory and acoustic field.
R&D studies and technical expertise on the analysis of the dynamic behaviour of installations and multi-physics measurement.
Assistance and advice to Cetim's industrial customers on the topic of measurement engineering and expertise.
Technical referent in vibration failure analysis within Cetim and for various external commissions since 2015
Mobius Institute "Vibration Analyst" CAT II certification since 2016
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Expertise
- Vibration diagnostics
- Failure analysis of complex machines and recommendations for solutions
- Design and installation of vibration monitoring
- Analysis of the dynamic behaviour of structures (EMA, OMA, ODS)
- Recalibration of measurements and calculations
Multi-physics characterisation
- Stress measurements and analysis (strain gauges, load cells, etc.)
- Vibroacoustic studies
Team management and leadership
- Technical referent for legal expert
- Multi-skilled project management
Johann CATTY
Principal Consultant
Johann CATTY
Johann CATTY is a Project Senior Engineer in NDT techniques specialized in Acoustic Emission controls.
- Expert Engineer in Non Destructive Testing techniques with 24 years’ experience in Acoustic Emission controls.
- Advanced knowledge on all Non-Destructive Techniques like Ultrasonic Techniques, Eddy Currents, Magnetic Techniques
- Advanced knowledge of Pressure Equipment.
- Knowledge on API 579 (Fitness For Service) and RBI.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Project manager
- Commercial and technical management of NDT projects
- Interventions on customers sites
- Technical reports
- Field : Extensive experience in conducting on-site projects and team management (Chemical and Petrochemical industries, Gas Industries, Aerospace Industries, Energy Industries, …)
Development
- Research Project in the field of Ceramic Materials, Acoustic Emission, …
- Expertises of Pressure vessels (Hydrocracking Reactor; Gas Storage tanks; Nuclear reactors, …) : FFS Assessment, welding repair supervision after cracks detection using AE.
- Expertise of Reactors (VALE – New-Caledonia) using different NDT Techniques like Ultrasonic TOFD and Phased Array, Magnetic particle testing, Acoustic Emission
Dr. M BENNEBACH
Principal Consultant
Dr. Mohamed BENNEBACH
Mohamed is a structural analysis engineer, expert in fatigue of components and structures, with 28+ years’ experience in this field.
He works mainly in the fields of components and structures design, life and residual life evaluation, fatigue testing.
He is involved in private and R&D projects, training and several standardization working groups (CEN/TC 147, UNM05) where he develops specific fatigue calculation methodologies.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Fatigue testing and material characterization: establishment of material fatigue damage laws, identification and quantification of influencing factors on fatigue behaviour, optimization of fatigue tests.
- Fatigue design and calculation of structures: determination and analysis of life profiles, design assistance, choice of materials and criteria adapted to service conditions, post-processing of finite element results and/or measurements, development of specific calculation methodologies.
- Standardization: participation in national and international working groups.
- Training: creation of training material and animation of several courses. More than 100 sessions animated.
PROFILE
Career: 3 years R&D engineer at RENAULT SA, 5 years teacher on Mechanics and Fatigue at ENSAM (engineering school), 10 years Senior Application Engineer at nCode International (fatigue software editor), Fatigue Expert at Cetim since 2009.
Academic: PhD in Mechanics from Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Metiers, 1993.
Christophe Grosjean
Principal Consultant
Christophe Grosjean
Christophe Grosjean is Metallurgy Expert at Cetim (Technical Institute of the French mechanical industry). He works mainly in the fields of metallurgy, characterization, heat treatment… He has an expertise in a wide range of metals, treatments, coatings and processes such as additive manufacturing. He is in charge of failure analysis on metallic materials and proposal of improvement solutions. He also develops and carries out training sessions on his areas of expertise. Since 2017, he has been French delegate in the working groups of UNM920 and ISOTC261 dealing with metallurgy and additive manufacturing.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Expertise of failure modes
- Heat treatment
- Characterization of metals
- Additive manufacturing
- Standardization
Fan ZHANG
Principal Consultant
Fan ZHANG
NDT expert of Cetim, Fan ZHANG is engineer from INSA of Lyon and PhD in materials science.
Among her field of expertise, she works on the development and qualification of acoustic emission to detect leaks in the primary circuit of nuclear power plants, but also in non-destructive characterization of materials (depth of thermal and thermochemical treatment, stress, ..) and detection of stress corrosion masked by geometric discontinuities on nuclear piping using innovative ultrasonic techniques (guided waves, non-linear…).
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Materials Physics
- Non-Destructive Testing : acoustic emission, ultrasonic techniques, electromagnetic methods (eddy courent, Barkhausen effect…)
- Signal and data processing
EXAMPLES OF PUBLICATIONS
- Simulation of the spatial frequency-dependent sensitivities of Acoustic Emission sensors. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, VL 1017, IS 1, PY 2018, Boulay, N. Lh�mery, A. Zhang, F.
- Forge and Innovative non-destructive testing techniques . Revue Forge et Fonderie 03/2020, F. Zhang, P. Bouteille, B. Dupont
Jeremy VIALE, PhD
Principal Consultant
Jeremy VIALE, PhD
Jeremy VIALE, PhD is Polymer and Composite Processing Expert at CETIM (Technical Institute of The French Mechanical Industry). He works for 15 years for Polymer Industry mainly on plastics forming and composite part manufacturing for Aeronautics, Automotive, Energy and Piping Systems.
His know-how is focused on polymer material behaviour during forming processes, relationship between manufacturing parameters and part performances. His fields of interest cover major processes as injection, extrusion, rotational moulding for plastics and reactive processes as pultrusion.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Polymer rheology
- Reactive processes
- Plastics forming processes
- Thermoset part Manufacturing
- Training (polymers, composites, forming processes)
Laurent JUBIN
Principal Consultant
Laurent JUBIN
Laurent JUBIN is International Welding Engineer at Cetim (Technical Institute of the French Mechanical Industry) specialised on three aspects of weldability (metallurgy, process, fitness for service).
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Design, manufacturing and inspection of assemblies obtained by welding, brazing and micro-welding of all metallic materials
- Failure analysis: identification of root cause and support in re-design
- Welding metallurgy: selection of filler materials, welding conditions, and support in implementation
- Drafting of technical welding instructions.
Nadege DUCOMMUN
Principal Consultant
Nadege DUCOMMUN
Nadege DUCOMMUN is corrosion and corrosion protection expert at Cetim (Technical Institute of the French mechanical industry). She works mainly in the fields of metallic materials, and has expertise in working conditions analysis, knowledges of the mechanism, morphological characterization, materials and corrosion protection choice and failure analysis. She has an electrochemical formation, and she is specifically certified in cathodic protection in the marine environment.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Expertise of failure modes
- Residual life assessment
- Corrosive environment analysis
- Materials and corrosion protection choice
- Cathodic protection dimensioning
- Training (corrosion, protection choice, cathodic protection)
Olivier CHEMINAT
Principal Consultant
Olivier CHEMINAT
Olivier CHEMINAT is an automation and robotic welding expert at CETIM (Technical Institute of the French mechanical industry). He works mainly in the field of welding industrialization.
After 15 years in the production of components with welding robots, he assists, since 10 years, entreprises to invests and put into operation robotic welding installations.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Automation and robotic welding specialist (Expertise in different aspects : technical, economic and organization)
- Technical assistance in production and process optimization. Very good knowledge of all associated technologies : seam tracking, calibration, vision, programming
- Robotic expert for different investments assistance programs for SMEs
- Design and manufacturing method for component for robotization. Design improvement solutions proposals
- Technical assistance for the research and development on the customer projects.
Hubert LEJEUNE
Principal Consultant
Hubert LEJEUNE
Hubert LEJEUNE is a Sealing Technologies expert of Cetim (Technical Institute of the French mechanical industry). He works mainly in the fields bolted flange joints and valve packing. Since 2005 he has been the French delegate in the CEN/TC74 WG8: Gasket and WG10: calculation (convenor since 2019) and is the convenor on a dedicated working group on bolted flange joint & gasket testing for the French nuclear code RCC-M®. He is also a member of the ASME PVP Computer Technology & Bolted Joint.
His fields of interest cover sealing system testing, modeling and design as global leakage management.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Global knowledge of Sealing Technologies
- Sealing phenomena modeling
- Sealing products testing (procedure & dedicated testing facility development) in representative environment
- Bolted joints design and modeling (flange connections, valve packing,…)
- Training on gasketed bolted joints (available technologies & calculation)
- Multi-partner, Industrial/Academic projects development and management
- Management of professional working groups (including standardization groups)