Mr. Ellison specializes in applying fire protection engineering principles to the investigation and analysis of fires and explosions. He is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and has investigated fires and explosions involving consumer products, residential and commercial buildings, and industrial facilities. Mr. Ellison has analyzed incidents in a variety of thermal-related fields, including allegations of boiler malfunctions, gas explosions, skin burn injuries, and thermal runaway reactions.
Additionally, Mr. Ellison has provided testimony in the areas of fire fighter injury causation and fire fighter tactics. As a firefighter since 2000, Mr. Ellison has unique skills that allow him to pair a technical understanding of fire dynamics hands-on fire suppression experience.
In the laboratory, Mr. Ellison conducts experimental testing and analysis related to heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and fire dynamics. Specifically, his testing experience includes fuel gas systems and their individual components, consumer products, home heating equipment, self-heating and spontaneous ignition. Additionally, he has experience in textile flammability testing, both on the bench-top and system level scales.
Mr. Ellison has particular interest in the thermal protective properties of clothing items and the causes of thermal burn injuries. He has supported the U.S. Armed Services in development and revisions of skin burn injury prediction models, as well as the implementation of such models in both bench-scale and large scale tests. Additionally, he has worked with the department of defense in developing large scale garment test methods for burn injury evaluation, and has provided testimony regarding the cause of skin burns. Mr. Ellison has also conducted extensive testing using Exponent’s thermesthesiometer (ASTM C1057), a device for measuring the burn injury potential of heated surfaces.
Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Ellison was an engineer with the U.S. Navy, where he conducted textile flammability and thermal performance evaluations at the U.S. Army Laboratories in Natick, MA. While at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, he conducted performance-based, system level fire evaluations on thermal protective garments for fire fighters.
Davis S, Ibarreta A, Kessel A, Ellison A. Flammability of nylon used as insulation in electrical connectors. Proceedings, International Symposium on Fire Investigation Science and Technology, Cincinnati, OH, 2008.
Ibarreta A, Clevenger J., Ellison A. Changes in flammability of nylon used as insulation in electrical connectors. American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Journal, Summer 2009.
Invited Presentations
Ellison A, Somandepalli V. Fire service’s effects on fire investigation. New England Chapter of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP). September 2010.
Ellison A, Ibarreta A. Investigation of explosions using engineering analysis. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Department of Fire Protection Engineering, Worcester, MA, April, 2011.
Reports
Ellison AD, Culver W, Schott C, Ochs M. Exploring potential opportunities for the Fire Equipment Maintenance Program. Interactive Qualifying Project, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2005.
Ellison AD, Groch T, Higgins B, Verrochi M. Thermal manikin testing of fire fighter ensembles. Major Qualifying Project, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2006.