Oswald Rendon-Herrero, Consulting Engineer in Foundation Failure Evaluation

Investigation of Constructed Facilities Foundation Failures.

Buildings settle and crack, natural land masses unexpectedly move downslope, soil embankments slide, earth dams are breached, cofferdams buckle, roadway pavements heave, and retaining walls shift and collapse. These are but a few examples of soil or foundation failures that occur in nature or during or after construction. Which is at fault for the failure - the engineer, architect, testing laboratory technician, contractor, materials supplier, inspector, or someone else?? Fault for a foundation failure is best determined by a geoforensic engineer - a forensic engineer specialized in the investigation and analysis of soil and foundation failures. The causes of a foundation failure are often the result of a combination of factors. These may include inadequate or insufficient soil investigation and testing, faulty engineering design, deficient or incomplete plans and specifications, unsatisfactory construction quality control and inspection, poor or negligent workmanship, inferior or defective construction materials, or ignorance of soil conditions and behavior. Since natural soil deposits are generally complex and non-uniform, the cause or causes of failure in construction are not always immediately obvious. The determination of cause usually requires considerable investigation and scrutiny by an expert. More than academic qualifications and engineering experience, however, are required in conducting a geoforensic investigation.