Roger Machut, Civil Engineer, releases “The Case of the Exploding Concrete”

Roger Machut, P.E, LEED AP, has released a whitepaper and accompanying video interview entitled “The Case of the Exploding Concrete”, a thorough discussion on the investigation of an unusual industrial accident.  With decades of experience in the field of Civil Engineering as well as a distinguished military career, Mr. Machut is uniquely qualified to address this subject and does so with the precision of a well-practiced professional.

In a step by step recounting of the investigation, Roger shows the reader how science and observation are used by our experts to discover the cause of an incident with many, complex factors.  He states “The primary rule in forensic investigations is to never commit to a conclusion until all evidence is reviewed.  Independent of your client’s interests, the scientific analysis of all the facets of the incident must be reviewed before determining a conclusion.”

“What I immediately noticed while inspecting the furnace was that the explosive force wasn’t downward into the concrete but instead, radiated UP from the concrete, from beneath the furnace.  It wasn’t the furnace that had exploded – it was something in the concrete!”, writes Roger. Expert investigations are the core of expert testimony, providing the basis necessary for any case to be built successfully.  Mr. Machut describes how he conducted the investigation and shares his knowledge on how materials and equipment combined to create an unnoticed industrial hazard.

Roger uses his military experience with explosives to show the mechanics of this concrete failure.  He clearly teaches the reader about the behavior of concrete materials and describes in understandable ways exactly what happened in this event.