Benjamin T. Irwin, P.E., DFE, CXLT

FORENSIC ENGINEER

Philadelphia, PA

Benjamin T. Irwin, P.E., DFE, CXLT

FORENSIC ENGINEER

Philadelphia, PA

GET TO KNOW Benjamin T. Irwin, P.E., DFE, CXLT

With dual degrees in architecture and civil engineering from Lehigh University, and over 20 years of diverse professional experience, Mr. Irwin provides a wide array of engineering, design, construction, and safety consulting and expert witness litigation support services.  He is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in 24 jurisdictions and is recognized as a Model Law Engineer (MLE) by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).  He is also a Board-certified Senior Member of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE), holding the designation of Diplomate Forensic Engineer (DFE).  He had been qualified for, and testified within, local, state and Federal courts, with retentions from both plaintiffs and defendants.

Primary Areas of Consulting

  • Building, Component and Material Evaluations
    Residential, industrial, and commercial buildings
    Concrete, steel, timber, and masonry bridges
    Foundations, basements, and crawlspaces
    Site features, pools, and buried civil engineering infrastructure
    Marine and underwater structures
    Structural and architectural component and material failures and testing
    Residential and commercial roofing and building envelope systems
    High-performance (green), historic, and legacy building materials and methods
    Finite element analysis (FEA) and building information modeling (BIM)
    High-rise buildings, complexes and communities, and regional/national chains of facilities
    Temporary structures, construction safeguards, and special event staging
    Designated lead of multi-disciplinary teams of investigative professionals
  • Damage Assessment and Remediation Evaluation

    Cause and extent of damage, as well as reparability, cost evaluations, and appraisals
    Post-fire, post-impact, post-explosion, and post-collapse catastrophic damage pattern analysis
    Hurricane, tornado, and straight-line wind evaluations, as well as hail
    Foundation and retaining wall subsidence and instability, including earth movement and sinkholes
    Construction vibration and demolition damage
    Underpinning/excavation failures during construction
    Flood damage, including wind/wave/surge effects, as well as site drainage issues
  • Construction Defects and Design Deficiencies
    Structural distress evaluation, including moisture intrusion and mold infestation
    Evaluation of construction contracts and documentation
    Contract document, code, ADA, and regulatory compliance
    Installed system performance evaluation and testing, including stucco and adhered stone veneer
    Chronic problem diagnosis, building pathology testing, and remediation design
    Construction material performance/installation requirements
    Wind and seismic (earthquake) structural design adequacy
  • Accident and Incident Evaluations
    Premises liability incidents, including within dynamic hotel, restaurant and retail environments
    Walkway surface evaluations, including tribometry (slip resistance evaluation)
    Retail display/merchandise failures, including operational policies and procedures compliance
    Lighting, maintenance, and previous renovation adequacy evaluations
    Construction safety issues and responsibilities, including OSHA compliance
    Human factor and biomechanical affects, including comparative contributions to causation

Certifications

  • Diplomate Forensic Engineer (DFE), National Academy of Forensic Engineers – 2019
  • Model Law Engineer (MLE), National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) – 2017
  • Certified XL Tribometrist (CXLT), Excel Tribometers, LLC – 2013
  • Certified Mold Remediator (CMR), Professional Mold Inspection Institute (PMII) – 2013
  • Certified Residential and Commercial Mold Inspector (CRMI, CCMI), PMII – 2013
  • Certified Roof Inspector – Residential & Commercial, Haag Education – 2019
  • Certified Faro 3D Scanner Operator, Faro/ Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. (RCG) – 2017
  • Certified Ladder Inspector, Ladder Safety Institute – 2014
  • Certified Level 1 Infrared Thermographer, Snell/RCG – 2014
  • Certified Aerial Boom and Scissor Lift Operator, United Academy – 2012
  • Authorized Person for High Angle Fall Hazards, Catastrophe Career Specialties, LLC – 2012

Memberships

  • National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE) – Senior Board-Certified Member – 2019
  • National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) – 2018
  • Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PaSPE) – 2018
  • Philadelphia Society of Professional Engineers (PhSPE) – 2018
  • American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) – 2018
  • ASTM International – Member of the F13 (pedestrian walkway safety) and E58 (forensic engineering) Committees – 2018 and 2019, respectively
  • National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) – 2019
  • National Council of Structural Engineering Associations (NCSEA) – 2018
  • Structural Engineers Association of Pennsylvania (SEAoP) – 2018
  • Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers (DVASE) – 2018

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
    Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 1998
  • Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
    Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 1998

Licensed Professional Engineer in the States of:

Alabama, British Columbia (Canada), Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

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