Developing a Forensic Engineering Model for Investigation Building Construction Failures: a Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22437/proca.v2i2.55530Keywords:
Building Construction Failures, Forensic Engineering, Failure Analysis, Integrated Investigation FrameworkAbstract
This study presents a systematic literature review of Scopus-indexed publications (2015–2025) on forensic engineering investigations of building construction failures, conducted under the PRISMA 2020 protocol. From 139 identified articles, 38 were analyzed through bibliometric mapping (VOSviewer) and narrative meta-synthesis. The mapping of methods and failure types indicates that specific failures tend to be examined with particular analytical tools—for example, structural collapses are modeled numerically, while procedural or human-factor failures rely on Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Failure Tree Analysis (FTA), or expert judgment. Findings reveal that research remains predominantly technical, emphasizing structural and material failures analyzed via Finite Element Analysis, load testing, and visual inspection, while managerial, procedural, and legal aspects are underexplored. Three interrelated domains—technical, managerial, and regulative—emerged as key determinants of investigative effectiveness. The study proposes an integrated forensic engineering investigation framework encompassing six sequential phases: Pre-Scene Preparation and Coordination, Scene Examination/Investigation, Laboratory and Testing, Analytical Modelling, Causal Analysis, and Reporting and Knowledge Management. Within technical, investigative, and legal-regulatory domains, ensuring methodological rigor, procedural consistency, and legal defensibility, thereby advancing a standardized, multidisciplinary model for construction failure investigations.
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