INTRODUCTION
The statement that “Failures are stepping stones to success” is very true in engineering failures in general and in structural collapses in particular. All around the world, in countries advanced and backward alike, in rich and poor nations alike, bridges, buildings and other structures fail in some mode or other even in these days of advanced technology and codified methodologies.
When a construction accident happens or a structure fails, public attention and private
concern focus on the injured people first and rightly too. Close on its heels comes the concern for property and/or environmental damage. Other financial loss usually does – and should – take the last priority.
During all the activity and emergency measures, very often the investigation of why and even how the accident happened receives scant attention. Actually, forensic professionals – namely those who investigate the accident, document the data, and analyse the findings – should hasten to the site as soon as possible, along with the ambulances and police, to investigate the accident before the trail grows cold.
The aim of forensic analysis should be to examine and document:
The immediate causes of the accident, and then its underlying root causes; What sequence of decisions and events led to the accident and how;
How recurrence of a similar accident not only under identical circumstances but also under predictably similar situations can be prevented in furture; and,
How the products and processes involved in the project can be improved so as to avoid or at least mitigate the adverse impact of such accidents in future.
These laudable goals can achieved only through proper forensic engineering, involving: the scientific collection of accident data and its thorough analysis, and,
extraction and dissemination of whatever conclusions can be derived from the analysis – in short, by learning from the failure.
Date : 10 – 11 November 2009
Duration : 2 Days
Time : 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Venue : 90 Stamford Road (178903) (To Be Confirmed)
CPD Programme : 14 PDU (To Be Confirmed) Normal Fees : $650.00 (IES Members)
$850.00 (Non-Members)
* Fees inclusive of 7% GST, Seminar Materials, lunch and light refreshments.
* Certificate of Attendance will be given to participants with at least 75% attendance.
PROGRAMME
Two-Day Short Course:
FORENSIC ENGINEERING IN
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Basic to this art and science of forensic engineering is the analysis of previous failures and drawing lessons from them.
Procedures and guidelines for forensic engineering are already well known and widely practised. In a manner of speaking, every time an expert or an expert committee investigates and reports on any accidents, forensic engineering is involved.
This two-day course will cover: Basics of forensic engineering
Role and responsibilities of the forensic expert Principles and procedures of failure analysis Accident causation, investigation, and prevention Legal implications and viewpoints
Hazard identification and risk management
Case studies of structural failures from around the world Personal experiences of the instructors
Upon finishing the course, participants should be:
fully aware of the circumstances of and background to investigation of failures, capable of understanding their causes and implications,
confident of analysing and managing the crisis, and, become better involved in workplace safety culture.
FOR WHOM
The course will be useful to all safety officers and risk assessors, most engineers and other technical staff dealing with accident investigations and structural failures, and consequently to those who are involved in structural design, construction, maintenance, and demolition. It will be of specific benefit to structural designers, contractors and sub-constructors,
maintenance and demolition professionals, safety inspectors and supervisors, and trainers in temporary and permanent structural courses.
It will be useful to fresh graduates as an introduction to the real world of structural failures. Management cadre may also do well to understand the implications of accidents so as to prevent structural failure, encouraging and supporting proactive concepts in their organizations.
COURSE OUTLINE Day 1:
Session 1-1 : Introduction to forensic engineering Session 1-2 : Accident causation and prevention Session 1-3 : Accident investigation
Session 1-4 : The legal viewpoint Day 2:
Session 2-1 : Case studies from design failures Session 2-2 : Case studies from construction failures Session 2-3 : Hazard analysis and risk management
CV OF SPEAKERS
Professor N. Krishnamurthy
B.Sc., B.E.(Civil), M.S.(CE), Ph.D.
F.ASCE, F.SSSS, F.IE(India), M.ASEE, M.IE(Singapore), M.SRA
Professor Krishnamurthy is currently Consultant in Safety, Structures and Computer Applications in Singapore. He is an Accredited Trainer of the Singapore Ministry of Manpower to teach certain modules of safety-related courses of the Singapore Construction Safety and Consultancy (SC2), and Institution of Engineers (Singapore) Academy (IESA). He consults for Singapore companies such as QED Systems and Lim Kim Cheong Consultants. He is a MOM approved risk consultant.
He has nearly five decades of teaching, research, and consultancy experience, including teaching short courses for practicing engineers, in U.S.A., Singapore, India, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, in structural engineering, computer applications to civil engineering, and construction safety. In U.S.A. he held civil engineering professorial positions in three American universities, in the last of which he was Department Chairman. He has also held senior positions in the National University of Singapore, and the Mysore University in India. He ran the Vidyaranya Academy of Computing at Mysore, India for 11 years.
He has written three books, including his latest “Introduction to Risk Management”, co-authored two others, contributed to a few compilations, and published over seventy-five refereed papers. He was Chief Editor of a Guidebook on Scaffolds published by SC2.
In the last few years Professor Krishnamurthy has been teaching courses related to the safety, design, and erection of temporary structures such as scaffolding, formwork, falsework, and trench shoring. He was Chief Facilitator for safety and risk assessment workshops conducted by SC2 and IESA. He was MOM expert for the Fusionpolis steel latticework collapse. He is involved in investigations of other accidents and failures of temporary structures.
Registration Form
FORENSIC ENGINEERING INDESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION − Learning from Failures
Date : 10-11 November 2009 (Tues & Wed) Time : 9am – 5.00pm
Venue : 90 Stamford Road (178903) (to Be Confirmed)
Fees * : $650.00 (IES Members) $850.00 (Non-Members)
Please register online/mail/fax the completed form by 02 November 2009 Before 5pm to: Address: IES Academy
70 Bukit Tinggi Road, IES Building, Singapore 289758. (Tel) 6463 9211 (Fax) 6463 9468 Participant Details Name : NRIC : ______________ Company : Designation: Address : __________________________________
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* All Fees are inclusive of 7 % GST.
Cheque should be made payable to: “Institution of Engineers, Singapore” or “IES”.
Acceptance of Terms and Conditions for Registrations of IES Academy’s Events
I agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions for Registration of IES Academy’s Events.
TERMS & CONDITIONS COURSE REGISTRATION
Registration
Any registration, whether on-line or fax will be on a first-come-first-served basis and will only be confirmed upon receipt of full payment by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) unless otherwise invoice to company.
All registrations must be submitted with duly completed registration form.
Email registrations will not be accepted.
Closing Date & Payment
The closing date of the event will be 5 working days prior to event commencement date. Cheques should be crossed ‘A/C payee only’ and made payable to ‘Institution of Engineers, Singapore’ or ‘IES’, with the Title of The Event indicated clearly written on the back of the cheques, and submitted with the duly completed registration forms to:
IES Academy 70 Bukit Tinggi Road
Singapore 289758
Confirmation of Registration
Confirmation of registration will be given 5 working days prior to the commencement date via email, and you are required to acknowledge it. If you do not receive the said confirmation email, you are required to contact IESA general admin immediately at 6463.9211 (office).
IESA reserves the right to allow only confirmed registrants to attend the Event.
Withdrawals/Refunds of Fees
Notice of withdrawal must be given in writing to IESA. Policy on refund of course fee is as follows:
FULL refund if we receive your written notice of withdrawal at least 3 working days before the commencement of the Event.
NO refund otherwise.
No show of participant would not be accepted as reason for withdrawal/refund.
Replacement is allowed but restrict to once only. However, when a member is replaced by a non-member, the participant has to pay the difference in the relevant fees applicable before the commencement date.
Cancellation/Postponement
Changes in Venue, Dates, Time and Speakers for the Events can occur due to unforeseen circumstances. IES reserves the full rights to cancel or postpone the Event under such circumstances without prior reasons. Every effort, however, will be made to inform the participants or contact person of any cancellation or postponement.
Fees will be refunded in FULL if any Event is cancelled by IESA.
Enquiries
