Civil Engineer and Construction Expert Witness for Structural Design of Pharmaceutical, Chemical and Food Plants

Expertise

• Structural design of pharmaceutical, chemical, food and other process plants
• Bio-reactors and other process equipment structural supports
• Evaluation of existing buildings for integrity and code compliance
• Cost estimate for repair of building defects and upgrading to current codes
• Structural failure investigation including water, wind/fire damage assessment
• Analysis of construction schedule delays and assessment of cause
• Insurance claims support, expert witness testimony and legal support
• Site safety analysis including slip and fall prevention
• Environmental Phase I studies and managing Phase II and III studies
• OSHA rules and regulations
• Geotech studies procurement and interpretation of results for foundation design
• Cost engineering, conceptual, preliminary and detail phases and bid analysis
• Professional Engineer

Experience

Senior Structural Engineer, Jacobs Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, 1995 to 2005

• Designed several fall protection systems over industrial ovens and for access to top of tanker trucks and rail cars.
• Investigated a failed loading dock wall, determined the cause of failure, and proposed retrofit solutions.
• Assessed the structural condition of a steel framed structure. The roof trusses were experiencing loss of section due to excessive rusting. Identified & developed retrofit solutions for defective items.
• Investigated a roof collapse, determined cause of failure, and provided retrofit solutions.
• Assessed the condition of existing masonry walls, determined the source of deterioration; provided solutions for upgrading the existing walls to current codes.
• Retrofit of an existing pharmaceutical process structure.
• Food facility: New Pudding manufacturing campus.
• Investigated a rigging accident where the lifting chain had broken and injured one of the construction workers.
• As a resident construction engineer, was responsible for construction quality control, identifying and correcting construction defects, and implementing programs to prevent slip & fall cases.
• 175,000 sq. ft. Pharmaceutical Bulk Manufacturing Facility and Utility Expansion.
• Retrofit of existing and new pharmaceutical facility.
• Retrofit of a starch processing plant.

Project Structural Engineer , AMG, Inc, Dayton, Ohio, 1993 to 1995

• Analyzed the load capacities of several structures for possible floor additions.
• New Corn Processing manufacturing campus. New Ethanol processing plant.
• Retrofit of an Automotive plant.

Construction Engineer / Estimator, Hillsmith Construction, (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1987 to 1993

• Multiple Residential/ Commercial structures. Moisture Intrusion problems, cracks in foundation walls and slabs on grade, excessive roof deflections, and wind and water related damages and environmental site assessment.
• Assessed the structural condition of wood and concrete framed structure. Identified & developed retrofit solutions for defective items.
• Owner representative on a five story hotel. Duties included schedule review, cost estimating, conflict resolution between the various contractors and/ or between owner and contractors.

Education

• B.S., Civil Engineering, Ohio Northern University