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Every Failure Has a Story... Even in the Oil & Gas Industry

EDT

The phone rings in the late afternoon on Friday and it isn’t good news. There was a fire at a compressor station. A shipment of new equipment showed up with visible damage. The drill string fell into the well and the contractors are trying to fish it out. Any number of things can happen to equipment...

Boiler Heating Systems, Malfunctions and Damages

EDT

Boilers have a long-standing and notable place in American history as seen from the versatility of applications that range from steam engines to power generation. In a nutshell, boilers provide a means to transfer one form of energy to another. Under controlled conditions, the transfer of energy...

3D Laser Scanners Capture Minute Details

EDT

A 3D laser scanner has the capacity to document the entirety of a real-world object or environment down to the minutest of details. Laser scans act simultaneously as a camera and as a ruler, thus eliminating the need for photographic interpretation as well reducing the time required for physical...

Expansive Soils and Construction Implications

EDT

Expansive soils, also known as soils with high shrink-swell potential, are common in various geographic regions, especially the central portion of North America.

Renewable Energy: Wind Turbines

EDT

Wind turbines are a good example of how technology can be both simple and complex at the same time. From a distance, wind turbine blades spinning in the wind are akin to a child simply blowing on a pinwheel. Up close and inside the workings of a wind turbine, it becomes apparent that there are...

Miscommunication Leads to Building Collapse

EDT

A 1950s commercial building collapsed during building renovations, resulting in a million dollar lawsuit. EDT analyzed the renovation process and the actions of multiple parties to provide expert testimony in court.

Tracing a Leak to Get Answers

EDT

A recent engineering consultation involved the evaluation of water-related damages to a residence. The Assignment EDT was asked to determine “how?” and “why?” this loss occurred.

Blackout Causes Damage to Hydroturbine

EDT

A blackout occurred on August 14, 2003 that affected portions of the northeastern United States, including a hydroelectric generating facility, which itself lost electrical power.