Selected Projects

The Detroit office of Exponent has been involved in numerous failure analyses in civil, criminal, and commercial investigations of significant importance both locally and nationwide. Summaries of a few representative investigations are provided below.

Power Plant Explosion
Six workers were killed in a devastating explosion of the Ford Rouge Power Plant near Detroit. Under challenging conditions, Exponent engineers made precise interior and exterior measurements of the deformed boiler and damaged building. Over 20 different measurement sessions taken by theodolite, photogrammetry and hand tools, each with its own coordinate system, were carefully combined to give a unified three-dimensional result.

High Speed Frontal Collision at Night
Exponent assisted in the defense of a trucking company involved in a fatal night-time collision. Due to the specific allegations, a precision Accident Reconstruction was required such that the positions, speed and heading of each vehicle prior to impact could be known within inches. Several types of photogrammetry and traditional theodolite surveying were utilized to locate scene evidence and vehicle positions on the road. Further complicating this reconstruction were the Human Factors issues involving night-time visibility. These were addressed by utilizing calibrated photographs to quantify what could be seen at what point. Ultimately, an animation was produced which showed that the oncoming car had crossed left-of-center and was in the process of returning to its lane when the collision occurred.
(IMPORTANT: QuickTime Plugin required to view the sample animation. Click to download)

Terrorist Truck Bombing
On April 19, 1995, arguably the worst terrorist action in United States history occurred when a bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. In the criminal trial that followed, an Exponent engineer from the Detroit office testified as to the Ford truck used in the crime based on identified parts sifted from the rubble. The remains of the truck's hood ornament is shown here.

Vehicle Rollover Accident Reconstruction
Several engineers in the Detroit office specialize in vehicle design issues and accident reconstruction, including vehicle stability and rollovers. In this example, a light truck left the road and rolled over into a ditch and some trees, fatally injuring one of the occupants. Vehicle motions and speeds were calculated, and site survey information was used to produce the pictured solid scale model for courtroom visualization purposes. 

Management Consulting
The Detroit office has personnel skilled in the management of product engineering and development activities, and can undertake short and moderate term assignments in these areas. A recent example was in filling the position of Director of Engineering at a Tier 1 supplier of major automobile body mechanical systems for 5 months, resolving technical and organizational problems while a permanent candidate was located and brought on-line.

Coal Mine Roof Bolter
The operator of an underground mining machine was fatally injured due to a combination of an inadvertent lever actuation and being out of position. Using drawings and measurements of the machine, Exponent engineers created a kinematic computer model and animation which demonstrated the machine's complex motions and operating process.

Patent Infringement
With engineers capable of mechanical analysis, animation and multimedia, Exponent is uniquely situated to address Intellectual Property Issues. An infringing device can be animated showing direct correlation to patent claims. Prior art and patent illustration can be developed into working computer model prototypes. This image compares two designs side by side, and the sample QuickTime™ animation shows a morph transformation of one design into the infringing device. These and other exhibits convinced a jury that the two devices were functionally identical.
(IMPORTANT: QuickTime Plugin required to view the sample animation. Click to download)

Dynamic Modeling
Multi-body dynamic analysis can be provided at the Detroit office for product design and failure analysis purposes. Using this technique, questions regarding motion, forces and time can be answered for virtually any machine or mechanism. This image shows the impact forces between the elements in a linear ball bearing. Results can be output in tabulated, graphical and animated formats.

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