Materials Science
We work with insurers, lawyers, manufacturers and owners to understand what is happening when a material is not performing as expected or ultimately has failed – often collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, and architects to provide you with the full picture.
Expert Materials Analysis to Determine Reliability, Defects, + Degradation
Over the years, materials have seen significant advancements in durability, resilience, and efficacy. However, changing environmental and man-made conditions can still impact a material's performance. Our team of experts thoroughly investigates the entire life cycle to identify the root cause of any material failure - whether it stems from a defect, design flaw, or manufacturing issue. We can then remediate the existing problem, develop design solutions, and provide support for insurance or litigation claims. Our experts understand how a wide range of materials - from cracked polypropylene pipes to rusting steel structures, water-damaged concrete, weld-spattered glass, exploded chemical reactors, or collapsed bridges - can degrade and fail. We are prepared to investigate almost any type of material or failure.
On-Site Analysis
When components or materials fail, our expert team provides the accurate analysis needed to quickly develop solutions. Leveraging deep expertise in materials testing and failure mechanisms, we deliver comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis - from component failure assessment to product liability evaluation, repair, and remediation. Our materials science specialists offer a wide range of analytical services covering adhesives, coatings, plastics, cements, plasters, ceramics, woods, and metals.
Laboratory Testing of Technical Materials
Whether you're experiencing a failure of building materials, reconstructing an accident, evaluating products for reliability or determining the cause of a vehicular accident, the laboratory testing technical materials can assist. We use science and technology to support the testing of metallurgical, cementitious, gaseous and small particulate materials. Our material analysis laboratory services are located throughout North America, making testing efficient for the support of insurance and litigation claims.
Jensen Hughes Materials Labs
Our state-of-the-art materials labs are equipped to help you evaluate and visualize the behavior of materials and chemicals, including concrete, plastics and elastomers. We have a full complement of testing capabilities to help characterize materials at different states including corrosion, high temperatures, and accelerated aging.
Testing Capabilities
- Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA)
- Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
- Enhanced Gas Chromatograph to Allow Polar Compound (GC/FID)
- Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS)
- Fourier Transform Infrared Materials Analysis (FTIR)
- Radiography
- Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
Materials + Chemical Analysis
We provide you with qualitative and quantitative analyses and characterizations of nearly all industrial-type materials and byproducts. Our ability to characterize material behavior and identify failure mechanisms is often crucial in determining the cause of product failures and industrial mishaps. We have extensive expertise in adhesives, coatings, plastics, cements, concrete, plasters, ceramics, woods and metals.
Metallurgical Analysis
Our metallurgical and materials experts specialize in a wide array of areas including component life cycle engineering, component failure analysis, construction defect, corrosion analysis, design defect, failure prevention engineering, fire and explosion investigation, industrial/process safety, manufacturing defect and vibration analysis. We also investigate product liability, repair and remediation.
Polymer Analysis
One of the most widely-used materials used in manufacturing and construction is plastic. We’ve investigated several high-value, high-visibility plastic failures. Our in-house lab can analyze all plastics and elastomers, while our experts are well-versed in the material properties and failure mechanisms of plastics.
Rapid Response
Maintaining business continuity is critical. If an unexpected event disrupts your operations, you need an immediate, expert response. Our team quickly gathers crucial information, preserves evidence, and provides updates to help you understand the situation. Within hours of an incident, we conduct a thorough investigation and evaluation to identify potential risks. We then recommend remediation steps to restore your business functions as soon as possible.
Scientific Research
By leveraging approved testing methods and approaches, we stay at the forefront, conducting research to address emerging needs. This allows us to develop customized risk reduction strategies tailored to each client. Our subject matter experts actively contribute to materials science research, ensuring clients understand the risks and performance considerations associated with materials.
MEET OUR EXPERTS
BS, Metallurgical Engineering, Registered PE: CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, IL, Certified Fire Investigator, IAAI, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, Certified Fire Investigation Instructor, , Private Investigator: WA
M.S., Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, B.S., Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (Magna Cum Laude), Licensed PE: MI, CA, WA, NV
BS, Geology and Chemistry, AA, Geology, Licensed Unarmed Private Investigator, state of WA, ALOA Registered Locksmith
Network Engineering, Infrastructure and Security, Scanning Electron Microscopy
