Editing Forensic engineering (section)

{{Short description|Investigation of failures associated with legal intervention}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=May 2014}}
[[File:Dent cassee sur une roue spiro-conique.jpg|thumb|Broken gear teeth on a piece of machinery]]
{{ForensicScience|disciplines}}
'''Forensic engineering''' has been defined as "the investigation of failures—ranging from serviceability to catastrophic—which may lead to legal activity, including both civil and criminal".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Neale |first=Brian S. |date=28–29 September 1998 |editor-last=Neale |editor-first=B.S. |chapter=Editor's preface |url=https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/feapati.27879.fm |others=Proceedings of the international conference organized by the Institution of Civil Engineers |location=London, UK |publisher=Thomas Telford |publication-place=London, UK |publication-date=1999 |page=i-ii |doi=10.1680/feapati.27879.fm |isbn=978-0-7277-2787-9 |title=Forensic engineering: a professional approach to investigation}}</ref> The forensic engineering field is very broad in terms of the many disciplines that it covers, investigations that use forensic engineering are case of environmental damages to structures, system failures of machines, explosions, electrical, fire point of origin, vehicle failures and many more.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |last=Noon |first=Randall K. |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/9781420041415/forensic-engineering-investigation-randall-noon |title=Forensic Engineering Investigation |date=2000-10-25 |publisher=CRC Press |location=Boca Raton, FL |pages=1–22 |chapter=Introduction |doi=10.1201/9781420041415 |isbn=978-0-429-24801-6 |lccn=00-044457 }}</ref><ref name=":0" />

It includes the investigation of [[material science|materials]], [[product (business)|products]], [[structure]]s or components that fail or do not operate or function as intended, causing [[personal injury]], damage to property or economic loss. The consequences of failure may give rise to action under either criminal or civil law including but not limited to health and safety legislation, the laws of contract and/or [[product liability]] and the laws of [[tort]].  The field also deals with retracing processes and procedures leading to accidents in operation of vehicles or machinery. Generally, the purpose of a [[Forensics|forensic]] [[engineering]] investigation is to locate cause or causes of failure with a view to improve performance or life of a component, or to assist a court in determining the facts of an [[accident]]. It can also involve investigation of [[intellectual property]] claims, especially [[patent]]s. In the US, forensic engineers require a professional engineering license from each state.