Print Email Facebook Twitter Improving reliability in forensic engineering: the Delft approach Title Improving reliability in forensic engineering: the Delft approach Author Terwel, K.C. (TU Delft Applied Mechanics) Schuurman, M.J. (TU Delft Structural Integrity & Composites) Loeve, A.J. (TU Delft Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology; Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center for Forensic Science and Medicine) Date 2018 Abstract Based on established theories from literature and best practices of forensic investigations in aerospace engineering, civil engineering and biomechanical engineering, the Delft University of Technology has developed a Delft approachfor forensic investigations. This integrated approach consists of three elements. First, because a product has a life cycle with various phases, it is of importance to consider these phases when a failure is investigated. Second, it isacknowledged that failure is a multifaceted phenomenon. Therefore, the ‘Tree House of Failures’ was developed, a taxonomy or categorisation of failure causes, which addresses main groups of causes of failure related to product,instruction and execution. Third, use of a standard investigative approach with the steps ‘orientation’, ‘data collection’, ‘hypotheses generation’, ‘hypotheses testing’, ‘recommendations’ and ‘findings reporting’ is advised. In the Delft approach, the ‘ring of trustworthiness’ is used to underline the mind-set that a forensic engineering investigator should have to assure the investigation’s reliability and validity. The ring of trustworthiness states that an investigation should be objective, repeatable, verifiable, complete and correct. This paper presents the Delft approach for forensic investigations and explains how to use it to prevent several common pitfalls and biases that occur in various stages of a forensic engineering investigation. This approach aims to increase the reliability of forensic engineering investigations worldwide. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:3683f587-28b1-43df-b30e-bead501443e2 DOI https://doi.org/10.1680/jfoen.18.00006 ISSN 2043-9911 Source Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Forensic Engineering (online), 171 (3), 99-106 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2018 K.C. Terwel, M.J. Schuurman, A.J. Loeve Files PDF jfoen.18.00006.pdf 625.56 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:3683f587-28b1-43df-b30e-bead501443e2/datastream/OBJ/view