◈ Homepage — http://www.bearinc.com/Skip to Main Content Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |  [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |  Derek King, P.E. ext. 103  |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us experts services projects contact Failure Analysis, Expert Witness Mechanical Engineering & Product Development  Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc., is one of California's leading scientific firms, serving law firms, insurance companies, government agencies, corporations and inventors. ​ cause analysis of failures of all kinds + product + industrial + environmental complex events + catastrophic losses + research and development consulting + inspections + accident reconstruction + litigation support + design + prototyping About. Our 10,000 square foot, state-of-the-art laboratory, and highly skilled team of Engineering Experts are able to provide comprehensive design and engineering services for a wide range of industries. BEAR experts have extensive multi-state trial and deposition experience.   Founded in 1986, our engineers have consulted on hundreds of critical, high-profile projects including the Alaskan Pipeline, the Golden Gate Bridge, the BP Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Milwaukee Brewers Stadium roof collapse, the Lan Chile airplane fire at the Miami airport, and the San Bruno pipeline failure, among many others.  ​ BEAR engineers also develop a wide range of specialized products, from cauterizing forceps for surgery that prevent tissue burning to powerline detectors for cranes and lifts to high strength frame and body components for automobiles and trucks.  ​ Our investigative approach as problem solvers covers every angle. We seek to find out what happened, why it happened, who or what caused it, and all possible preventative solutions - communicating our findings to our clients in a comprehensive and meaningful way. Learn more about our Experts Experts. Our founders, Glen Stevick, Ph.D., P.E. and Philip Alei, Ph.D., P.E,  together with our senior engineers, David Rondinone, Ph.D., PE., and  Derek King, M.S., P.E. and material/mechanical engineer Mingxi Zheng, M.S., P.E. have over 85 years of combined experience, successfully working on cases and research projects, from failure analysis and product defects to patent litigation and prototyping. Our team of experts with extensive experience in mechanical, electrical and materials engineering provide unique solutions. Industries. Aerospace Agriculture Automotive Consumer Product Energy + Power  Environmental Industrial Manufacturing Maritime, Offshore + Inland Medical Equipment Mining Oil + Gas Transportation Services. Accident Reconstruction Analysis + Lab Services Auto + Bus + Airline+ Railroad Analysis Battery Analysis Building Systems, Elevators, Escalators Computer Animation Courtroom Support Damage Assessments Design Services & Prototyping Electrical Engineering Expert Services Expert Testimony Failure Analysis FMEA (Failure Mode & Effect Analysis) FEA + Stress Analysis Fire + Water Cause & Origin Inspection Services Mechanical Engineering Medical Device and Equipment Failures Metallurgical + Materials Testing Patent Analysis and IPRs Product Development Product Design Failures Product Liability + Testing  Scanning + Monitoring Systems Trial Graphics Video Services 3D Scanning   Learn more about our Services Contact Us we offer extensive lab services. visit our lab website. > Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy ◈ Interior Pages — 45 pages crawled--> stress analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. near surface stress analysis Stress Analysis.   Stress Analysis is also known as Structural Analysis; it enables engineers to measure stress occurring in the components used in consumer products.  Residual Stress Analysis  is introduced into materials during the fabrication and surface treatment of materials, such as machining processes (grinding, milling), thermal processes (welding, casting), and cold working process (shot peening). Residual stress can be both beneficial and not. Shot peening creates beneficial compressive residual stresses into metal components, such as turbine engine blades, or into brittle materials, such as smartphone glass and concrete.    Residual stress toughens the materials and increases the lifetime of components. However, material components can prematurely fail when there is a high level or tensile residual stress in the material. Catastrophic failure of bridges, pressure vessels, and welded pipes are examples of the failure caused by residual stress. BEAR Engineers use a proven ultrasonic method (Refracted longitudinal wave measurements, high-precision slice method) to locate the area of residual stress in critical structural compartments and can check for  possible failure from fatigue or crack propagation. By performing FEA (Finite Element Analysis) of the structural models, our engineers can also validate the residual stress distribution. The illustration on the right demonstrates Bear's analysis, charting the experimental data of deep residual stress generated by shot peening at corresponding depths of materials. The diagram to the left is of a valve compartment including heat treated surfaces (valve body) where   residual stress analysis and measurement was performed. through-thickness stress distribution Through-thickness residual stress is created from fabrication and heat treatment processes. This is especially an issue in thicker parts since effects of things like heat or pressure are not uniformly applied through the section.   Examples of our stress analysis includes fillet and butt welds in the figure to the left. The right image is a diagram showing a water-quenched and cladded part with a strain gage attached to measure the effects of EDM cutting on a part.  Understanding not only the effects themselves, but also how to accurately measure these effects are critical to stress analysis.  compliance & single-slice methods Compliance method measures residual stress by cutting with a wire EDM to incrementally cut into a part while measuring the released strain, as shown in the diagram above.   Single-slice method obtains the 2-D distribution of axial stress from the strain measurement while thin slice from mid-section of sample is removed.   The illustration to the left is an example of a stress measurement of the production component - the distribution of the axial stress of the component.  The colors signify the how much stress is in each location: the redder areas are experiencing the highest amounts of stress while the blues are the lowest.  Using diagrams like these can help show risky areas and identify a cause of failure.    Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> fatigue + materials deterioration | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Fatigue and Materials Deterioration. Fatigue is a process by which materials wear down over continued and repetitive use.  Just as a human can fatigue, so can a material.  The repetitive forces and cycles that a material can be subjected to may lead to failure as each cycle weakens and breaks more and more bonds.  Usually, during the design phase of a product, hypothetical lifetimes are use to help determine the design and materials used to ensure the product will survive.  However, if these lifetimes are not accurate, or if the wrong design or material is used, this could lead to early and catastrophic failure.   ​ BEAR engineers can use both mathematical and physical models to characterize fatigue failure.  A couple examples are shared below.  fatigue and remaining life of coke drum     Fatigue of the material is demonstrated by the crack initiation and crack growth process after the cyclic loading. Cyclic loading is a repetition of low and high stresses over a long period of time. Fatigue for a coke drum occurs primarily from the difference between the thermal strains at the heath and during the cool-down of the coking cycle. Additionally, welds are typically weaker than plate-base material in fatigue because of notches and minute flaws inside of the weld. The picture on the left shows the thermal distribution of the coke drum.   Fatigue in the skirt occurs from thermal gradients when the coke drum is hot and from differences in temperature between the skirt and shell during heat-up and cool-down. Fatigue in the shell occurs during cool-down as the cooling steam and water contact the shell in irregular patterns. ​ Local wrinkling of the shell and cladding disbanding are two additional problems related to high thermal stresses from the heat-up or cool-down.   ​ crack propagating on skirt and shell weld ​ Using the sample of the shell weld, BEAR engineers predicted the lifetime of the material by artificially cycling thermal stresses for certain period of time.   Experimental Process: Crack growth is observed at the root and toe of the skirt to shell weld. During the eight initial cycles, crack growth is measured. Prediction of significant cracking within 3 to 6 years is provided. Recommendations to increase the lifetime of the coke drum are calculated.   measuring the shell fatigue ​ Determination of what are the important process variable on shell fatigue in specific case (environmental factors, external force). Prediction of lifetime of shell with high accuracy. Recommendations to increase the lifetime of the shell are calculated.   Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> BEAR Specialty Product Line | bear-website-final top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. BEAR Specialty Product Line. The BEAR engineering team has d eveloped numerous specialty devices and offers custom manufacturing of these devices at our lab to suit your needs. Autonomous Driving and Drop-Down Computer Controlled Robots Until recently, inspecting the interior of large pipes and vessels would cause interruption of plant operations and require scaffolding for large vessels.  BEAR's drop-down and autono mous driving rob ots can inspect welds and check for cracks, bulges and thin areas using a variety of sensor technology.  High magnification cameras and computer-controlled positioning facilitate and document detailed inspections without exposing personnel to hazardous conditions.     Detailed inspections of 100-foot-tall vessels can be completed in less than an hour, allowing inspection between batch cycles, while the vessel is too hot for personnel to enter and without plant shutdown for most processes.  Inspection robots developed at BEAR are in service in North and South America, Europe, and Africa as well as the Middle East.   BEAR can work with you to develop inspection and service robots (wheeled or flying) with autonomous driving (LIDAR, radar or camera based) and way point driving capabilities. The BEAR robot to the right uses LIDAR and cameras to determine its position by matching its real-time local map with a predetermined global map.  BEAR software is Python based. Automotive Development and Rebuilding BEAR engineers and associates are continuously building and rebuilding automobiles and other vehicles to keep up on the latest technology and for fun!  Contact Dr. David Rondinone at [email protected] if you would like to learn more. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> animations | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Animations. ​ Our animation team recreates events to illustrate the accident scenario. The accident is re-enacted and videotaped. Care is taken that scene and actors resemble the actual situation while maintaining the integrity of the incident. Videos like these can be helpful in and outside of the courtroom. airplane accidents To prove that the destruction of a Boeing 747 at the Miami airport was caused by a hydraulic fluid leak, the BEAR team designed and customized a system identifying a poorly maintained fuel truck as the cause.   The video below is an animation produced by the BEAR team illustrating the cause of the fire destroying the Boeing 747. forklift The video of the forklift is a re-enactment of an incident using the latest video technology. First the forklift is videotaped as seen in the picture on the left. Then a person in front of a green screen is videotaped falling. These two videos are then merged to create the desired scenario without expensive animation or dangerous reenactment. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> gates + garage doors | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Parking Gates and Garage Doors.     In personal injury claims and other legal cases, BEAR engineers provide expert analysis to determine the involvement of mechanical failure.   For example, an individual was walking underneath a gate arm inside a parking garage. He subsequently fell, lost consciousness, and lacked any recollection of why he fell or what actually happened. He believed that the accident was caused by the gate arm colliding with his head.   In order to determine liability of his statement, BEAR was contracted to investigate if the sensors on the gate arm were working properly or, if it was not working properly, whether a descending gate arm operated with sufficient force could cause a person to fall.   Through on-site analysis, BEAR calculated the force of the gate arm when in contact with an object. Our investigations demonstrated that the gate arm does not free fall after extensive examinations, which simulated a possible accident, helped with resolving our client's case. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> finite element analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Finite Element Analysis. ​ Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a method for simulating how products interact with real-world forces. Will a product function as designed or break to cause injury?  FEA creates behavior models of mechanical stress, vibration, and heat transfer. BEAR possesses the capability to analyze complex and dynamic problems. FEA and 3-D Analysis eliminates the added expense of animation. We provide analysis, test results, and graphic representations in the form of photo-quality prints or computer video files at no additional cost. Images are formatted for viewing on all platforms and project well in courtroom settings using a digital projector. procedures + processes Structure Stress Analysis Fatigue Analysis Static Stress Analysis Dynamic Analysis Thermal Analysis Impact Analysis Buckling Analysis Previous assignments. irrigation pipe The scanned image on the left represents a metal pipe imbedded in a plastic pipe underground. The investigation involved measuring dynamic loads of water pressing on the mechanical components of the pipe. The 3D model reveals that the spacing between the pipes concentrated stress in the outer pipe near the connection of the two pipes. The model also examined the stiffness of soil surrounding the pipe with the FEA model. playgrounds Playground accidents can occur from unforeseen equipment failure involving swings, slides, climbing frames, metal bars, and merry-go-rounds. Slides and rope-plank swing failures can cause backward falls resulting in injuries. The scan to the left shows the 3-D model of a slide detailing the stress distribution of the frame, which determined whether or not the equipment was strong enough, to support the weight of multiple children.   helicopter engine  The image to the left represents a detailed image of contact stress analysis of the sleeve assembly of the rocker arm of a helicopter engine. The FEA analysis demonstrates the sleeve generated high stresses at the point of contact due to both bolting and system loads.This was compelling evidence that indicated one or more design element of the helicopter engine was at fault and in need of modification. 300 foot tower The FEA analysis to the left reveals the transition section of a 300-foot water tower, 12-feet in diameter. This study included an examination of heat treatment of the welds combined with wind loading. As a rapid data capture process, FEA can deliver results. offshore oil platform BEAR engineers perform fracture assessments on offshore oiland gas platforms located in U.S. waters as well as the North Sea, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, all of which are vulnerable to severe hurricane forces. Bear inspected, laser-scanned and analyzed the Unimar platform after Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in 2005.   amusement park rides Analyzing a large-scale structure is difficult in real time. FEA provides a solution. The image to the left shows the 3D model of a water slide at an amusement park in Northern California, created to locate fatigue provide fracture analysis. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> patent analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Patent Analysis. BEAR can provide engineering expertise to patent inter partes reviews, trials, and appeals.  In addition to filing for and holding many patents of our own (see BEAR's Patents here ), our engineers can assist with cases dealing with infringement, invalidity, obviousness, and more across a broad range of engineering topics.    Validity Evaluations We can also assist with §102/103 risk prediction using our Automated Patent Review Software , which can quickly identify prior art and obvious prior technology combinations.  Our proprietary library of "natural language bridges" can link keywords together to identify related patents and compare for conflicts of interests.  This can not only save you time , but also  minimize overlooked material .  This software can also help identify areas that are free of patent claims by others.  ​ Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your patent case.   Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> fire investigation | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Fire Investigations.   Fire incidents are unique in that they often destroy much of the physical evidence key to determining their cause(s). BEAR's certified fire investigators and engineers follow a systematic and scientific methodology to determine how and why a fire started and propa gated.   Our fire experts have the knowledge required to conduct and manage complex fire investigations. Our engineers investigate chemical fires, electrical fires, structural fires, and explosions of all kinds. We understand the importance of a quality report that is easily understood whether dealing with fraud, fire cause, or subrogation. Our investigations are multidisciplinary.   We draw upon expertise in fire science and engineering  to find the cause.  Our experts communicate the findings in a clear and concise manner that can be readily understood by non-technical individuals. our services and exp ertise Incident investigation and documentation Cause, origin, and fire propagation analysis Analysis of ignition temperatures and combustible gases generated by fire Thermal transient structural integrity evaluations Creep failures resulting from high temperatures Meet our Fire Investigation Engineer Derek King, M.S., P.E., CFEI Derek has been working with Berkeley Engineering And Research for over 15 years as a mechanical and electrical engineer. He has investigated failures of all kinds, following a disciplined process designed to protect evidence, clarify facts, and produce accurate findings. His work has included but is not limited to - stoves, heaters, dryers, electrical wiring, solar panels, lithium batteries and ruptured piping. Give Derek a call at 510-725-6003. origin and cause investigation The initial investigation of a fire is referred to as an "Origin and Cause" investigation. The sooner it is performed after a fire, the more likely it is to obtain crucial evidences. Fire scene evidence is usually heavily damaged by the fire and easily damaged further by weather, scavengers and repairs. BEAR's fire investigators and engineers are available to probe for an origin and cause on site and perform a scene documentation using photography, videography, and laser scanning. The image on the left shows the carrier box after an electrical fire deteriorates a medical imaging facility. Careful examination of the carrier box and inside of 2 inch diameter electrical cables revealed that the screws used to attach the conduit box panels eroded into the 12,000 volt cables, causing a short circuit to the ground and igniting the cable insulation. The green arrows in the picture on the left indicate wear damage that had not made it all the way through the insulation when the fire occured. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> lab services | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. BEAR Lab Services. Our headquarters in Berkeley include a full materials lab equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including a Keyence microscope, FTIR, SEM, Hardness Testers, and metallurgical equipment.    Need materials testing?  Download our rate sheet and visit our Labs page for more info.  > Enter our Labs Site Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> motorcycles | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Motorcycles.   Determining the underlying cause of an auto or motorcycle accident is critical to legal and insurance settlements. Accidents vary widely from equipment problems, like faulty tires and brakes, to component failures resulting in fire and death.These defects and manufacturing errors require testing and reverse engineering to learn what design errors were involved. Bear's engineers specialize in investigating the circumstances and evidence to determine underlying causes.   Figure 1: Motorcycle used for testing components for failure analysis. One such tragic accident involved an injury and fire resulting from a poorly designed component. BEAR engineers reviewed the traffic and police reports, depositions, and evidence to determine the negligence and cause. By testing the metal fuel tank and motor of the motorcycle, it was discovered that the metal fuel tank was defective and very dangerous. It was easily punctured by any metal object and would leak gasoline and subsequently, the metal tank would ignite causing an explosion.  BEAR engineers conducted impact tests of the critical components and the gas tank to measure how much force they could bear until failure. The motorcycle tank should have been made with stronger material available on the market, such as a polymer. This would have made it impossible to ignite a spark in the tank, eliminating the possibility of a dangerous explosion.     Figure 3: Impact testing of exemplar components of the motorcycle. Figure 2: Evidence showing the results of the failure of the motorcycle gas tank. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> accident analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Accident Analysis.   BEAR is uniquely positioned to assist clients by analyzing a wide range of accidents attributable to human factors. BEAR engineers can analyze the incidents and determine whether the accident is caused by the malfunctioning products or machines. Our expertise has been called on in various cases involving this know-how.   Anthropometric constraints upon the configuration of products or systems, for example, are well delineated in engineering case literature. Most products and systems are designed for use by an array of people, rather than for use by one specific individual.   In one case, BEAR demonstrated that a shoulder rotator cuff muscles injury resulted when a massage table collapsed. In another, our team demonstrated that neuro-muscular response of an individual is not sufficient for a lawn chair to tip over when legs of a lawn chair sink into soft ground. When another individual fell from the deck of a construction site, BEAR engineers demonstrated that the fall could only occur if the person showed negligence by walking backwards     The actual construction area and the simulation of the actual site for the analysis of the incident. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> fire + explosion | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Fire and Explosion of Products. For better understanding in explosion, BEAR engineers have conducted more than 100 explosion tests. The picture on the right shows the sequential frames of explosion test of a 5 gallon Blitz consumer gasoline container which had 500 ml of aged gas. When the gasoline was poured over a flame, the can exploded right away, producing the typical explosion sound that can be heard from several blocks away.   In some cases, however, the can does not rupture and a jet of burning gasoline is ejected from the container, as shown to the right in sequential frames of the jetting test. Notice the flame halfway up the translucent spout in the first frame.    Our work has also shown that an inexpensive flame arrester would prevent these explosions. BEAR Engineers wrote a paper about importance of flame arrester.    Using this experience, BEAR Engineers compiled and published a peer reviewed paper about how to prevent explosions of portable plastic containers. thermo limit switch    A large fire occurred in an office building in Downtown San Francisco. After the fire was put out, investigators looked for the origin of the fire and suspected an area where two heaters with over 600 K BTU output were located. The heaters were brought to the BEAR Lab, and a joint investigation occurred. The heaters were hooked onto a special gas line and tested. After a test protocol was established, the thermo limit switches were tested in our lab (see picture to right). Further investigation confirms that the thermo limit switches were operating inaccurately.       ​ portable plastic gasoline container explosions    Portable plastic consumer gasoline containers explode when users unexpectedly provides ignition sources. Ignition sources vary from spilling gasoline on hot equipment to splashing hot embers, thought to extinguished, to static electric sparks from rubbing the container on clothing. BEAR’s combustion laboratory has accumulated data of the conditions (e.g. temperature, amount of gasoline and weathering) that will result in an explosion. When explosion accompanies liquid gasoline, it is particularly dangerous as liquid is often thrown on the user and/or persons nearby and causes extreme burns, disfigurement and death. The explosion of the container leaves rupture marks that are on any edge, seam or thin spot as it can be seen in pictures on the right. weed wacker ​ A commonly used handheld week wacker experienced a mechanical failure of the commutator (red arrow) which set the wacker on fire. Sooting (blue arrow) indicates the fire traveled through the windings to the plastic case. leaking fuel lines    BEAR has extensive experience performing mechanical analysis when investigating the cause of fire. One example is the automobile caught on fire, which is shown on the right. After the inspection of the van, BEAR engineers found out that the fuel lines leading to the fuel injectors had been leaking due to a faulty fitting design. propane powered pickup truck ​ The truck shown on the right was involved in a head-on collision in which the driver was severely burned. BEAR engineers found that all the piping attachments were located on the front of the propane tank and were broken off during the crash as the tank pushed through the back window of the cab. BEAR's investigation showed that other trucks that had the tank piping attached to the bed side of the tank fared much better in similar crashes.  water heater fire ​ Water heater fires are most commonly caused by combustible material that has been stored next to the water heater. Newspapers, paper bags, and cardboard are typical of the materials found in these cases. Less common are the fires caused by leaking supply lines, blocked flues, clogged orifices, and faulty control valves. The picture on the left is the water heater that was caught on fire. barbecue grill   Investigations of barbecue fires at BEAR indicate two common sources of fire. First, the hose from the tank to the barbecue fails due to wear and tear or abuse, and the escaping propane then ignites via the barbecue flames. Second, the barbecue propane tank is overfilled with over 85% being liquid propane. Tanks can then be over-pressurized on hot weather because liquid propane thermally expands more than a steel tank. The over-pressurization causes a propane release through the tank pressure relief valve. The 15% vapor space in the tank is a reserve for the liquid to expand without over-pressurizing the tank. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> About Us | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. About Our Firm. The engineers at Berkeley Engineering and Research are some of the best specialists in their fields. With over 85 years of combined e xperience, our team brings a unique scientific perspective to investigate and analyze complex failures. From product and mechanical failures to class action lawsuits, BEAR utilizes multiple engineering disciplines and scientific methods  to deliver the perfect solution to your specific situation.    Since 1998, we have specialized in litigation as expert witnesses and have significant experience, working both domestically and internationally.  Our engineers understand how important it is to communicate the science behind the findings and effectively and clearly share the information for trial.   We are proud to work on exceptional projects with exceptional people. The Golden Gate Bridge, Deepwater Horizon, and the San Bruno Pipeline failure  are just a few of our projects that helped solve significant problems. In fact, BEAR Engineers were awarded the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award for 2007 by The American Society of Civil Engineers for their participation in the Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project. Furthermore, we are always learning and growing our knowledge base from such extraordinary cases.    We look forward to serving you on your next project. ​ Professional Affiliations. BEAR engineers are affiliated with: NSPE: National Society of Professional Engineers ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers VIBRATION INSTITUTE: an organization dedicated to the exchange of practical information about vibration and condition monitoring NACE: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International ASM-International: The Materials Information Society SFPE: Society of Fire Protection Engineers Our experts have testified in hundreds of legal cases and developed thousands of testing procedures and experiments. BEAR Metallurgists and Materials Engineers can tackle any material science problem with state of the art laboratory equipment. BEAR's diverse group of licensed Engineers are available for site inspections to investigate commercial and residential damage s. With specialties in oil spills, environmental pollution, industrial accidents, including marine and wildfires, our team can find the answers to complex questions. BEAR's valuable visuals and animations for court displays and testimony help tell the story to explain what happened and our conclusions. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> tanks + pressure vessels | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Tanks and Pressure Vessels.     Sometimes, the rule book is wrong. Analysis conduct at BEAR has actually resulted in new ASME Piping Codes. Since our company was founded by a refinery engineer, BEAR has very deep roots in the oil, gas and pipeline industries. In addition to our extensive Coke Drum services, BEAR engineers can provide analysis for any mechanical component at a refinery or power plant. BEAR has crucial expertise in evaluating existing equipment using a variety of methodologies including API 579, British Codes R-5 and R-6, Finite Element Analysis, etc. steam pipe   The failure of this 30-inch diameter steam line, operating at 900 psi and 1000 degF, shutdown the Mohave, California power plant. The failure occurred along a longitudinal weld in the pipe. BEAR engineers determined that although the weld metal was stronger than the pipe steel at room temperature, the creep, or high temperature deformation rate of the weld metal was 10 times greater than the pipe's base metal. This mismatch led to failure after 10 years of operation. The ASME Piping Codes have been changed to prevent this type of failure based in part on analysis work performed by BEAR on this failure and others. hydrogen reactor vessel   BEAR engineers analyzed cracking in the ring groove of the top head of this 3000 psi, 8-inch thick, 10-foot diameter, 50-foot tall hydrogen reactor vessel. The stress analysis indicated that the cracks would stop growing as they expanded into low-stress regions of the head, away from the ring groove. The vessel was returned to service. refinery stack   BEAR engineers determined that the transition section of a 300-foot stack at a refinery in Kazakhstan could be safely heated to 1250 degF to reduce residual stresses in the welds. The diameter of the stack changed from 10 feet to 3 feet at the transition section. The heat treatment was carried out successfully. coke drums   Scanning of Drum's Internal Surfaces   BEAR has developed new technology for scanning and inspecting internal surfaces of coke drums. The new method allows scanning through the top and bottom heads between cycles in 1 hour (the scanner is stationary) and is so accurate that you can see most welds in the scan. Scanning through both heads eliminates all blind spots and provides scan data for the top head and conical section. ​ Color contour plots of the "rolled out" surface of the coke drum (vertical and circumferential profiles) and the scanned data points (densities up to 8 pts per inch) are provided to the customer in any standard data format. Custom formatting is also available. The results can be used to track drum deformation over time, perform a finite element analysis, and estimate a drum's remaining life.   BEAR also offers a full range of Coke Drum analysis and instrumentation services:     * Finite Element Analysis    * Crack Initiation/Growth    * Life Assessment    * Thermal Couple and Strain Gage Instrumentation   "Turn-Key" thermal couple or strain gage data acquisition systems provide statistical histograms of thermal or strain loading and calculate damage rates and remaining life. BEAR's damage accumulation models predict remaining life using either thermal couple or strain gage data with the same accuracy. BEAR's Drumsoft Software ​ BEAR's user-friendly Drumsoft software allows customers to plot radial variation along any vertical section or any circumferential band. Complete Drum Scan data is provided to the customer on a CD in ASCII format for easy access and archiving for future use. Coke Drum FEA   BEAR can perform complete finite element analyses of coke drums using the true geometry of the drums derived from laser scan data and field measured dynamic temperature, strain and/or pressure measurements. Combining the resulting stresses with those due to the weight of coke hanging on the drum's wall allows BEAR engineers to assess the remaining life of your coke drums as a function of operating conditions. Contour Plots ​ BEAR's software can create contour plots of radius variation to allow for the easy visualization of shell bulges and out-of-roundness. These plots can also allow for simple comparisons to prior scans. high resolution vit photographs   On the left is a photograph taken from a drum video showing a liner weld patch (upper weld) and a circumferential weld (lower weld). The VIT video camera used by BEAR allows for very high resolution closeups. ​ BEAR can also measure crack growth data at operating temperatures using service exposed material and perform detailed fracture analysis at our laboratory in Berkeley, CA. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> litigation support | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Litigation Support.   Our professionals are experienced and have assisted in hundreds of legal matters from class action lawsuits, product liability, and subrogation to construction defect and intellectual property. Our clients include both plaintiff and defense counsel, and we have been involved in awards of up to millions of dollars. We are available to investigate and prepare detailed incident reports for litigation, and our team has personal experience in testifying in both deposition and trial settings. Throughout the process, our experts will communicate even the most complex science in the clearest and easy to understand language to make the case. ​ Contact our office at [email protected] for a complete list of deposition and trials of our experts.    More information coming soon. Please be patient with us.  Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> research papers + awards | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Research Papers and Awards. BEAR publishes research papers to share our findings. The material is based on experiments, scientific literature, and peer review. We are proud to say that our reports have been used to set public policy and legal precedents. Berkeley Engineering And Research emphasizes the importance of staying up to date and actively involved in our industry.  In addition to patents, our engineers are encouraged to continue their research and publish new work.   awards + recognition “Failure Analysis and Prevention of Fires and Explosions with Plastic Gasoline Containers”   was recognized as the Best Paper of the Year for 2011 (Volume 11) by the Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention. The Award was formally presented at the ASM Leadership Awards Luncheon held in Pittsburgh, Pa. on October 8, 2012.    (Click here for full article)   ​ The American Society of Civil Engineers awarded the Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project for the 2007 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award.   CEO, Glen Stevick and his longstanding colleague, Weili Cheng, designed the seismic damper elements for this historic project to determine the seismic energy to be damped for the retrofit of this majestic bridge. Congratulations!  (To read more click here.) select research papers “Red-on-Red Warnings?"   The warnings on Portable Plastic Gasoline Containers (“PPGC”) are embossed on each side resulting in red lettering on a red background as shown below. Testing presented in this paper support the conclusions in the literature, Codes and Standards that warnings are most readable if there is a significant contrast in color between the lettering and background. In addition to being difficult to read, the warnings fail to describe the explosion hazard, the consequences of the hazard, and describe how the hazard can be avoided.” Despite the claims of the Portable Gasoline Container Manufacturers Association, the potential for a gasoline can explosion and/or jetting from the nozzle events have been known for decades.​ (Click here for full article.)   “US Liftboat Trinity II: Engineering Design, Risk Assessment, and Ethics"   was written in reference to Thursday, September 8, 2011, when the US Liftboat, Trinity II, experienced damage to the stern jacking leg from heavy weather associated with Hurricane Nate. Listing badly, the crew decided their best course of action was to abandon the ship. A detailed review of the Trinity II's history revealed that it was previously owned by an engineering company that provided offshore risk and hazard assessment services. This same company sold the Trinity II "as is" despite numerous design deficiencies. The paper discusses these deficiencies, as well as the ethical duties of a registered engineering company to correct such problems and inform unaware future owners about them.​  (Click here for full article.)   “The Deepwater Horizon Blowout: An Update - Drill String Buckling and Shearing"   discusses the event on April 20, 2010. The Deepwater Horizon mobile offshore drilling rig experienced a blowout while abandoning a well (after cementing operations). The primary piece of equipment used to stop a blowout in progress is the blowout preventer (BOP). This six-story tall, 400-ton piece of equipment is located on top of the wellhead on the ocean floor, 5,000 feet below sea level. The BOP contains five dual ram-like devices to control a well, which are described in numerous reports. The backstop device, if all fails, is the blind shear ram (BSR) that can both shear drill pipe that may be in the well as well as seal the well. The Chemical Safety Board (CSB), in approving its final report in April 2006, claimed the BSR failed "for reasons the offshore drilling industry remains largely unaware of..." This is an issue that must be considered in an emergency, along with upper bound pipe shear properties and the friction forces that develop in closing a BSR during a blowout. These issues have been inadequately addressed in the industry, but are detailed in the paper. ​  (Click here for full article.)   “Flame Arrestors for Gelled Alcohol Containers"   describes pour and explosion testing, an analysis performed on gelled alcohol containers with and without flame arrestors. The vapor space in an alcohol container is in the explosive range at room temperature at the time of purchase; the research further demonstrates that flame arrestors can be used on gelled alcohol containers without inhibiting flow and that flame arrestors are effective in preventing injuries to users by inhibiting ignition inside an alcohol or gelled alcohol container. ​ (Click here for full article.)   “Minimizing risk through improved safety features: How to choose technologies”   was written in 2011, when a team at BEAR was asked to provide forensic engineering and economic analysis on the BP Deepwater Horizon well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. One piece of the analysis consisted of evaluating the possibility of a stand-by blowout preventer that might have shortened the time and amount of uncontrolled release of oil and hence lessened the damages caused by the well blowout. A straightforward cost/benefit analysis was performed. ​  (Click here for full article.)   “Gall Thomson Connecter Release - Hawaii Single Point Mooring Terminal"   contains information and analysis regarding the Gall Thomson marine breakaway connector (GTC) incident on May 19, 2006. It was in a floating hose when it released unexpectedly during the offloading of the ship Front Sundra at the Tesoro Hawaii single point mooring (SPM). The analysis clearly indicates the GTC release resulted from the combination of three causes: 1) A new breakstud preload procedure, 2) A breakstud design that is highly susceptible to fatigue, and 3) A lack of a proper "Fitness For Service" evaluation.​  Click here for full article.)   “Your Pink Cadillac! How Much Is It Worth? What Can Forensic Economists Learn from Nonpecuniary Benefits? "   is a review of the literature on nonpecuniary benefits derived from employment. It is provided in order to assess nonpecuniary losses and damages suffered by an employee in wrongful termination cases and in injury cases that lead to long-term unemployment. The review shows instances where nonpecuniary damages are quantifiable in terms of a multiplier, and this research allows the forensic economist to provide opinions in specific cases. This review als --> Experts | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Principal Engineers. GLEN STEVICK, Ph.D., P.E. Principal Engineer + CEO Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 510-549-3300 ext. 101 curriculum vitae (CV) A respected expert in the oil and gas industry, company founder, and CEO of BEAR, Glen Stevick has gained national recognition for his consulting and technical research on the BP Horizon Oil Spill.  With more than 30 years of experience in mechanical engineering, Dr. Stevick is a dynamic communicator who is able to bring complex scientific concepts clearly and concisely to nonprofessionals and to trial, making him a highly valued expert witness. His specialties include: design, construction, and failure analysis of oil field and refinery equipment, power plants, solar and hydronic energy systems, numerical analysis and system modeling, analysis of manufacturing processes, heat and mass transfer of power/energy systems and redundancy, and energy dissipation of structural systems.     Dr. Stevick received his B.S. from Michigan Technological University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, where he was a UC Regents Fellowship Award recipient. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International and a Registered Mechanical Engineer in California, Texas, Nevada, Louisiana and Utah. DAVID RONDINONE, Ph.D., P.E. Principal Engineer + CTO Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 510-549-3300 ext. 102 curriculum vitae (CV) David Rondinone joined Berkeley Engineering and Research in 1993, and provides consulting in design and failure analysis, finite element analysis, accident reconstruction and crashworthiness, and mechanical testing.  In 2004, he co-founded 4D-Imaging, where he manages the development of three-dimensional scanning devices. He currently provides 3D-scanning and corrosion inspection services internationally for coke drums and refinery piping systems.   Dr. Rondinone's research has included detailed studies of flange stress response, creep behavior of longitudinally welded pipes at high temperature, design of structural supports for a cryogenic superconducting MRI machine, design review of medical implants, dynamic analysis of multistory manufacturing facilities, and frequency analysis of silicon wafer fabrication components. He has co-authored four publications and was a contributing author for API 579, Recommended Practice for Fitness-For-Service. Dr. Rondinone has a Masters and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, where he previously received his B.S. in Engineering Physics and B.A. in Astrophysics. PHILIP ALEI, Ph.D., P.E. Principal Engineer and Co-founder Berkeley Engineering And Research Inc. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 760-815-7445 curriculum vitae (CV) Company co-founder, Dr. Philip E. Alei is a UC Berkeley educated Ph.D. Mechanical Engineer with over 30 years’ experience in designing, building, and testing prototypes. He is Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) and has taught Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced SolidWorks topics at the college level. Along with his design expertise, Dr. Alei owns a full machine shop and five 3D printers. One of these printers, a Markforged Mark Two, prints with chopped carbon fiber reinforced nylon. It also has the capability to incorporate continuous fiber reinforcement with fiberglass, Carbon, or Kevlar yielding parts with tremendous strength and stiffness. These lightweight parts are equivalent to or better than quality purchased components, but custom parts can be designed and produced in a matter of days. This combination of skill, experience, and fabrication capability puts BEAR in a unique position to provide ultra-fast design iterations on a large variety of projects. JOSEPH B. ZICHERMAN, Ph.D., SFPE Senior Fire Safety Engineer Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. E-mail:  [email protected] Tel: 510-549-3300 ext. 108 curriculum vitae (CV) Dr. Joe Zicherman studied fire science after a stint in polymers work an ICI subsidiary at UC Berkeley as a graduate student in the 1970's.  At that time, the UC Fire Research Group was conducting groundbreaking work on fire dynamics and materials fire research funded by the National Science Foundation and the Center for Fire Research.    After graduation, Joe founded IFT Inc. in Berkeley, which evolved into Fire Cause Analysis. He developed that company to its current status as a fire investigation leader through a series of structured efforts to enhance the limited scientific bases available for 1980's investigation technology into that which is now codified in NFPA 921.  As part of that work, Joe wrote and contributed sections on modeling and applying fire science to fire investigation in editions of the NFPA 921 Handbook that accompanied later revisions of the document.  That work has been part of a general practice working with fire safety projects including determining heat release profiles of complete rail vehicles, looking at fire risk issues affecting decision making and applying fire science principals to fire losses and property assessment. Staff Engineers. WEILI CHENG, Ph.D., P.E. Senior Engineer Berkeley Engineering And Research Inc. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 510-549-3300 curriculum vitae (CV) Derek King, M.S., P.E. Mechanical & Electrical Engineer Berkeley Engineering And Research Inc. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 510-549-3300 ext.103 curriculum vitae (CV) Mingxi Zheng, M.S., P.E. Materials & Mechanical Engineer Berkeley Engineering And Research Inc. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 510-549-3300 ext. 106 curriculum vitae (CV) All Staff CVs Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> San Bruno Pipeline Explosion | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. San Bruno Pipeline Rupture. The San Bruno pipeline disaster occurred when a natural gas pipeline owned by PG&E exploded into flames in a neighborhood just west of the San Francisco Airport. The failed section of the pipeline is shown below. The devastation was immense—almost 50 homes were destroyed, and nine fatalities resulted. The image on the first page of this brochure reveals only a portion of this damage.   BEAR inspected the failure and identified its cause as defective welds in the pipeline. The intensive pressure in the line, and the increasing demand for energy from San Bruno’s expanding user base lead to this failure.  BEAR's laboratory is fully equipped with specialized machinery and knowledge to test pipelines for its material properties, the types of stresses it undergoes, and strains inside of pipelines. ​ ​ gas pipeline rupture ​ In one case, an underground gas pipeline was struck by a farmer using a "ripper." The resulting explosion lead to comprehensive damage and many injuries. The BEAR team was asked to assist in the assessment and analysis. The damaged pipe wall is shown on the right. ​ ​ steam pipe inspection ​ In another case, a steam-heating pipe exploded under a busy intersection in Manhattan, NY. The BEAR team was asked to assess the maintenance procedures and make recommendations to avoid future incidents. The photo on the right shows the exposed underground pipes. syncrude pipe failure causes $2 billion loss ​ The BEAR team approached this case with diligence and rigorous scientific analysis, considering all possible theories. The wax casting and computer stress analysis eliminated all possible scenarios except one.   Casting and reassembling of the failed pipe clearly showed that the rupture occurred only after the pipe was "buckled" by a nearby explosion. The picture at left shows the pipe in wax after buckling, but before rupture. ​ pipe failure in mohave desert   Dr. Stevick conducted a primary research on the steam pipe failure at the Mohave Southern California Power Plant. The rupture destroyed the power plant and resulted in five fatalities. The pipe ruptured along a weld seam due to the mismatch of high temperature properties between the weld and basemetal.   Dr. Stevick's analysis resulted in a change in the piping code for high temperature service. His contribution to this and other codes has been substantial and continues to improve industry practices. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> vehicle engineering | bear-website-final top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Vehicle Engineering and Transformation Vehicles of all sizes are built to move, and they are machines.  We have experience on all kinds.   ​ Understanding the science of complex machines moving in the real world can be a challenge, but Berkeley Engineering and Research provides engineering answers from the perspective of multiple disciplines. We can analyze the internal mechanisms of the system – and how those systems interact in a non-laboratory environment.   While most of our work with vehicles is related to finding the causality of accidents and collisions, we can also provide the redesign of components and the analysis on safety improvements. ​ Dr. David Rondinone, an engineer who has been with BEAR for over three decades, recently converted a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle to electric drive.  The conversion included an SME AC-X1 motor controller, used to provide power to and draw regen power from the drive motor, a Hyper 9 by Netgain.   The SME controller is designed to use analog inputs from various sources to dictate how much power is either sent to or generated from the motor.  One analog input determines the power sent to the motor, and a separate analog input determines the power regenerated by the motor.  These inputs are both assumed to be monotonically increasing voltages, such that the higher the input voltage, the higher the power provided to or generated from the motor.   The conversion uses an electronic throttle pedal taken from a Toyota Prius.  The pedal requires a constant 5V supply, and provides a variable voltage output based upon throttle position. The pedal provides a monotonically increasing voltage, with greater throttle input resulting in greater voltage output.  This voltage can be used directly by the SME controller to determine the desired level of drive power sent to the motor.   One feature desired was for the VW conversion to be able to use single pedal driving, where the throttle pedal provides both the motor drive signal and the motor regen signal (similar to the setup used in Tesla and other modern electric vehicles).  Unfortunately, the pedal only provides a monotonically increasing signal that increases with pedal depression, and the controller requires two monotonically increasing signals, one for drive and the other for regen. In order for a single pedal output to be used for both, the pedal output signal needs to be split into two separate signals, one that monotonically increases with pedal depression, and one that monotonically decreases with pedal depression.   One method that can accomplish this is the differential amplifier, which uses a circuit that incorporates an op-amp and several resistors. ​​​​​​​​​​ The circuit uses two input voltages to the op-amp, one (VI1) is the 5V supply, the other (VI2) is the output of the pedal.  If all of the resistors are equal, then the circuit provides an unamplified output that monotonically decreases as the pedal output increases.   By incorporating this circuit, a single pedal output can be used to provide both signals to the controller.  Once the inputs are established, the software of the controller is set up such that pedal positions between greater than 20% depression are used to provide a drive signal (with higher pedal depression leading to higher drive power), and pedal positions below 20% are used to provide a regen signal (with lower pedal positions leading to higher regen power).  An additional advantage of this approach is that the controller will smoothly transition from full regen - light regen - no regen or drive - light drive - full drive. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> product design sevices | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Product Design Services.  ​ Analyzing failures across our litigation cases provides BEAR with a unique opportunity to also design and engineer novel products and solutions.  BEAR now has a group of engineers dedicated to new product design, including prototyping, manufacturing, designing, and patents.  A great side effect of analyzing failures is not only finding the problems that still need solutions, but the enhanced ability to get to the root of the problem. Or sometimes you just have a brilliant idea you want some help getting off the ground.    Contact us directly with your project idea to see how we can help.    Product Design Study: Vehicle Center Support Our Principal Engineer, Dave Rondinone, has been upgrading an early-90's model Miata for performance improvements. Part of this involved adding a more powerful engine, and stripping the unnecessary elements of the vehicle to reduce overall weight.  With this process though, the original aesthetics were lost and a new opportunity presented itself to design a new minimalist, lightweight interior.  This opportunity resulted in the design below; a carbon fiber center support that  provides structural and aesthetic function.  The CAD design  The Final Product.  In Progress: Dave polishing the epoxy layer for a smooth finish.  Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> asbestos | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Americans are vulnerable to asbestos-related diseases, while often unknowingly exposed to it. Asbestos was once used widely as construction materials, mixed with concrete for buildings as it provides insulation and other fire-proof properties. Upon renovation, buildings built in the 1950s are discovered to have asbestos within flooring and pipes. Fortunately, the use of asbestos dropped precipitously in the 1980s.   Not only do plumbers, electricians, and other maintenance workers face the possibility of asbestos inhalation in the workspace, but residents of certain infested buildings do too. When the asbestos-containing materials are disturbed or damaged, the materials release asbestos particles and fibers into the air. Asbestos particles are highly toxic when inhaled and can cause mesothelioma cancer or lung cancer.   BEAR engineers maintain an expertise on the prevalence and impact of asbestos and have repeatedly provided expert testimony in related cases. For example, in 2002 BEAR engineers took on the case about one individual who worked on insulation of turbine and consequently breathed a considerable amount of asbestos particles, ultimately developing an asbestos cancer. The oil refinery did not fully acknowledge safety standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials when it considered the insulation materials. Such a lack in protocol resulted in an overall fail of corporate ethics.   Many workers who are exposed to asbestos in the workspace seek compensation from manufacturers. We use a light microscopy and a scanning electron microscope to determine if the sample of the problematic section of the workspace contains asbestos fibers. Figure 1 is the microscopic image of asbestos. Asbestos. Figure 1. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) image of asbestos. In the U.S., three types of asbestos have been in use. Chrysotile, usually referred to as white asbestos, is the most common and accounts for 95% of all asbestos in use. Amosite, or brown asbestos, and Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, each account for 2%. Workers exposed to the very common white asbestos have shown little health effects. Blue asbestos, in contrast, has caused the most documented health effects; even non-occupational exposure has caused significant mortality. Figure 2 shows the image of the asbestosis inside of lung. Figure 2. Micrograph demonstrating asbestosis of the lung (ferruginous bodies). H&E stain. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Staff + CVs | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The Bear Team. Whether you are looking for an expert witness or need an inspection,  our engineers will take you through every step of the process to ensure you receive the best service possible.    Click on the green links  to view and download CVs.   To schedule a general consultation, learn more about our services, or ask any other questions: call:  510-725-6005  email:  [email protected]   ​   Glen Stevick, Ph.D., P.E. Principal Engineer + CEO 510-549-3300 x 101 [email protected] Glen Stevick (CV)   David Rondinone, Ph.D., P.E. Principal Engineer + CTO 510-549-3300 x 102 [email protected] David Rondinone (CV) ​ ​ Weili Cheng, P h.D. Mechanical Engineer 510-549-3300 x 105 [email protected] Weili Cheng (CV) ​ Igor G. Kouznetsov, Ph.D. Electrical Engineer - Patents Available for patent consultations Igor Kouznetsov (CV) ​ Philip Alei, Ph.D., P.E. Co-founder Philip Alei (CV) ​ Bryan Martel, Ph.D., P.E. Co-Founder Bryan Martel (CV) ​ ​ ​ LinkedIn LinkedIn Derek King, M.S., P.E. Electrical/Mechanical Engineer 510-549-3300 x 103 [email protected] Derek King (CV) ​ Mingxi Zheng, M.S., P.E.  Materials Engineer/Metallurgist 510-549-3300 x 106 [email protected] Mingxi Zheng (CV) ​ ​ ​ ​ James Stevick, M.S. Engineer 510-549-3300 x 105 ​ Chelsea Torgersen-Bell, B.S. R esearch + Case Manager 510-549-3300 x 107 [email protected] ​ ​ ​ Bebe Bertolet, M.B.A. Controller 510-549-3300 x 105 [email protected] ​ Alyssa King Administrative Assistant 510-549-3300  x 10 8 [email protected] LinkedIn LinkedIn Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> courtroom support | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Courtroom Support.   Our team analyzes and tests consumer products, manufacturing and commercial equipment, medical equipment, and construction defects. We apply a rigorous scientific approach to determine how the failure occurred, how the failure appeared over time, and whether it was due to misuse, material defect, or manufacturing/design defect. Moreover, we use state-of-the art equipment and software to determine failure analysis. ​ Both of our experts  have expansive experience in giving depositions and testimony.  Contact us directly for a full list of trial experience.  courtroom models ​ The BEAR team includes a sculptor, machinist, and fabricator that make courtroom models to help during trial. Below are just a few examples of models made by our staff in the BEAR lab, assuring scale accuracy of the models.    ​ To the left is engineer Giancarlo Lara, working on a milling machine. To the right is Dr. Jerome Singer, working on a drill press prototyping a system to detect pipeline corrosion.   ​ railcar lock down speed reducer cut away brake tester differential cooling prototype Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> refineries + power plants | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Updated information coming soon. Please be patient with us.  Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> patent analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Manufacturing, Refinery & Offshore Plant Failures   With countless offshore and manufacturing plants across the Unite states, it's no surprise that plant safety is a high priority as the equipment and facilities age under harsh environments.  Over the years, BEAR engineers have had multiple cases and gained valuable first-hand experience on how to evaluate these incidents.  Currently, BEAR is working on the 2020 Grinding Plant Explosion in Houston, Texas. As a result of the explosion, homes and businesses as far as half a mile away were damaged and resulted in three deaths. ​ BEAR engineers are highly experienced in the hazard analysis of Manufacturing Plants, Refineries and Power Plants. Other major projects we've successfully worked on:   1986 Mojave Power Plant failure in Mojave, CA 1985 Syncrude Processing plant fire and explosion in Fort McMurray, Canada 1991 Angus Nitroparaffin Plant in Sterlington, LA 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf  2014 Center Ethanol Plant fire and Explosion in Sauget, IL   The BEAR engineering team has extensive experience in mechanical design and control systems, having assisted with the design of numerous chemical plants, fluidized catalytic cracking units, industrial lubricant plants, coking units and other processing plants.   CEO, Dr. Glen Stevick wrote his PhD thesis on how and why the Mojave Power Plant explosion occurred, an event that caused five fatalities and millions of dollars in property damage. In addition to failure analysis, BEAR engineers have also developed solutions to prevent further accidents, such as control system interlocks to prevent operator error in the field (e.g. opening the wrong vessel to atmosphere) and simulators to help train operators in recognizing and avoiding mistakes out in the plant. U.S. Chemical Safety Board aerial photo taken during the December 2019 fire at the TPC Group chemical plant in Port Neches. Black smoke rises from burning flames at a Nippon Shokubai Co. chemical plant 2012. A computer model of an offshore plant explosion . Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> polymers + plastics | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Polymers and Plastics. ​ BEAR's high-tech Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) can quickly identify almost all plastic, rubber, other non-metallic materials and their additives. The pipe fitting shown to the right is an example; it was found to be made of Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC. PVC is commonly used in construction and can be made softer and more flexible by adding phthalates. Without adequate amounts of these additives, PVC is quite brittle, leading to unwanted cracking, leaks and failure. By knowing what are the constituent of the product, we determine if the product is manufactured with the poor selection of materials, which will lead of the premature failure of the products.   FTIR spectroscopy uses a laser to measure the absorption and transmission of test specimen of various wavelengths of infrared light. The absorption spectrum shown is for pure PVC.   The quick reliable turnaround, as testing only takes a few minutes, provides a valuable capability at BEAR for performing the failure analysis of a wide variety of product and equipment made out of polymer. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> failure analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Failure Analysis.   Our team analyzes and tests consumer products, manufacturing and commercial equipment, medical equipment and construction defects. We apply a rigorous scientific approach to determine how the failure occurred, how the failure appeared over time, and whether it was due to improper installation, user misuse, material defect, or manufacturing and/or design defect. We use state-of-the art equipment and software to determine failure analysis.       practic e areas Automobile + Tire Failures Fire Cause + Origin Full-Scale + Component Testing Machine Accidents + Equipment Failures Mechanical Defects  Medical Device Failures Oil + Gas Industry Incidents Product Design Defects procedures + processes Fracture Mechanics Fatigue Testing + Analysis Analysis of Stress Corrosion Cracking Metallurgical Analysis Ductile + Brittle Fractures Hydrogen Embrittlement Surface Analysis (SEM, FTIR, X-Ray) X-Ray Analysis Micro & Macro-photography Welding, Soldering & Brazing Examples of our work. theater seats Have you sat in a seat that presented a problem? BEAR concluded that a mechanical component in the seatlift was inadequate in the theater seat photographed (in the top left quadrant). Each seat back was held in place by two bolts, one on each side, through a small metal tab. To determine the loads on the tab when the seat was used by various persons of various sizes and weights, strain gauges were installed on an actual seat (pictured in the lower left quadrant) and peak loads were recorded. Field measured loads were also applied to a computer model of the tab (lower right quadrant) to examine peak stresses in the corner of the tab and the fatigue limit of the seat. As predicted, the metal materials used were inadequate for creating the metal tab. aircraft engine components BEAR performed a dynamic analysis of various components of an aircraft engine. The parametric study of one component - a connecting rod - is shown above. Our goal was to determine how to reduce stress on the components to avoid critical stress for crack propagation. Using finite element analysis, our results determined the cause of failure in the engine and provided new pre-load specification s to prevent future failure. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> risk management | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Risk Management.   Any pipeline rupture is an example of failure in risk management. Many BEAR engineers are in the ASME Piping Code Mechanical Design Committee and have performed the fracture assessment of the Alaska Pipeline, continually analyzing the strength and structural integrity of all types of pipes materials. testing pipe integrity   BEAR engineers have the ability to set up unique tests to assess pipes in both normal and unusual operating conditions. The photograph below (left) shows a fatigue test machine, which BEAR engineers built specifically to test refinery piping elbows with thin spots. The video below (right) shows a high pressure burst test conducted at BEAR to determine the pressure resistance of large diameter gas pipe with the consideration of thinning due to corrosion and a longitudinal weld only halfway through the pipe wall thickness. Documenting BEAR's Testing  risk analysis process ​ When pipeline is examined for the potential of the risk of failure, BEAR engineers use the risk modeling which is described below. Risk analysis typically starts with researching for similarities in past cases and moves to a design re-appraisal. Afterwards, BEAR engineers assess the individual key operating factors and possible damage events by performing data collection and inspection.   The graph below shows the general risk failure rate of pipelines as a function of time, often referred to as a "bathtub" curve. Failures and problems are high at first, but later, construction defects are eliminated. Then, there is a long period with few problems that typically lasts many decades. This is followed by an increase in failures as the pipeline nears the end of its life. However, when a third party intervenes, the lifetime of the pipeline will have a higher rate of field failures. According to the graph, even during the "useful life" period, the failure rate is as high as during the "early life" period. damage mechanism to inspection method relationship Damage Mechanism Weld Fatigue, Incomplete Welding, and Cracking Corrosion Third Party Damage, i.e. backhoe strikes and solid movement especially with older pipes Inspection/Detection Methods Hydrostatic pressure test Pigging, Direct inspection, Hydrostatic pressure test Hydrostatic pressure test Note: only hydrostatic pressure testing can be used to detect and mitigate all common damage mechanisms. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrade ​ ​ The BEAR Team was invited to participate in the Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading. The efforts included calculations of the newly designed dampening device which is pictures below. This project won the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award. The Golden Gate Bridge opened to traffic in 1937 and has become recognizable around the world. The towers that support the bridge's suspension cables are smaller at the top than at the base, emphasizing the the tower height of 500 feet above the roadway. The Golden Gate Bridge's main suspension span is 4,200 foot long. The five lanes cross the Golden Gate Strait. ​ ​ Joseph Strauss was the Chief Engineer in charge of overall design and construction of the bridge project and famed bridge designer Leon Misseiff was theprincipal engineer who produced the basic structural design, introducing his "deflection theory" by which a thin, flexible roadway would flex in the wind, greatly reducing stress by transmitting forces via suspension cable to the bridge tower. Wind and earthquakes can lead to unexpected resonance mode which could cause the bridge to snap. When the Golden Gate Bridge District started a program to retrofit the Golden Gate bridge to better resist seismic events, the BEAR Engineering Team, headed by Dr. Glen Stevick was asked to do the calculations for the disk that was insperted as a damping device (see photo). For this work, Dr. Stevick received the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award in 2007. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> product liability | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Updated information coming soon. Please be patient with us.  Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> ladders | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Ladders.   Ladders are notoriously dangerous: especially for the novice cleaning a gutter once a year or attempting small home repairs. The m ost common ladder-related injury is a bone fracture, but they sometimes heartbreakingly result in death.   According to the United States Department of Labor in 2013, there were about two hundred cases of workers' severe injuries of fractured bones due to falls from ladders. Outside of workspaces, there are even more people who are injured from falling down from ladders. The BEAR team has been contracted to analyze more than a dozen ladder cases to date.   BEAR engineers have found that based on the laws of physics, all but one incident was caused by users' excessive reach. Our tests include friction, slippage of the step of ladder, and x-ray analysis of possible cracks in the ladders. In one of our cases, we applied all of these methods when examining a mysterious case of a ladder coming loose from a recreational vehicle. After the examination, we successfully determined that during a previous re-roofing of the RV, important components used to secure the ladder to the vehicle were not reinstalled. This mistake caused the ladder to ultimately rip out of its fixtures.   The figures portray a field inspection by BEAR engineers to better simulate the accident; the inspection of the steps of ladder; and the x-ray inspection inside of the ladder to check if every connection was securely fastened for the safety. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> medical devices + implants | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Medical Devices. ​ BEAR engineers have been dedicated to the development and improvement of several life-saving and life-enhancing medical devices.  hip implant   BEAR engineers have developed a sophisticated biomechanical model of the human musculoskeletal system to assist in studies of hip implant failures. Hip implants are made out of ceramic materials and fail mostly due to fatigue of the materials from cyclic stresses of walking in addition to the brittle nature of ceramic materials. The images on the below show the fracture surface observed with optical microscopy and the overall fracture of the hip implant.              ​ ​   spinal implant   BEAR has inspected and analyzed numerous spinal implant components including screws, rods, and plates. Fractures of rods, backing out of screws, and designs of plates have been investigated; detailed stress analysis of constituents have been performed. Below is an example of a spinal plate implant stress analysis focusing on the screw retention design. The 2D and 3D finite element models have been used for other implants too.       ​ ​       ​   ​ ​ ​   silver bullet—electrosurgical ball electrode   BEAR engineers worked on the development of a new electrosurgical ball electrode, which uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to fuse biological and other materials to tissue surfaces. This device was designed for use in pulmonary surgery to seal air leaks and in solid abdominal organ surgeries to provide a hemostatic tamponade.      ​ electrosurgical forceps   Electrosurgical forceps are expensive and easily stick and tear tissue during use. The BEAR team was asked to develop a better design. After several prototypes and extensive testing at BEAR, specialized materials were developed to control heat transfer. Advanced electrical circuits to eliminate micro-sporting were added. The result was a new cauterizing forcep that significantly reduces sticking and tearing tissue during surgery.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ angioplasty balloon   Angioplasty balloons are life-saving tools used to insert stents in failing blood vessels. BEAR engineers have worked on this device to quantify their mechanical properties for data that will be used to build better model angioplasty balloons with using a modern computer software. Pictured below is a finite element contour plot used to validate the fact that the stresses in the base material are less than those seen by the balloon. Using this information, BEAR engineers were able to design an apparatus that satisfied the client's needs.                            ​   blood vessel connector   BEAR has performed a design review and mechanical analysis for numerous biomechanical devices. One device was a blood vessel connection device. The device was manufactured from an extremely ductile shape memory alloy. The fabrication of this device was a complicated multi-step process and required detailed knowledge of the strains present in the component during each step. BEAR performed a 3D dynamic finite element analysis and closed form solutions to this process.            ​ ​ ​         ​ aortic implant   The metallic components of the implant were exposed to repeated loadings, and a full stress, fatigue, and fracture analysis was performed to demonstrate and determine the expected life of the implant under various loading conditions.  Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> exercise equipment | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Force Analysis of Sports Equipment. ​ While exercise equipment is a great way to stay active, as with anything, it comes with a risk to the user when poorly designed.  Exercise equipment is subjected to high use cycles, and at times, strong and repetitive forces.  BEAR engineers can analyze body dynamics in various situations to determine when exercise machines, such as inclined bench presses and spinning bikes, put users at risk of injury. In a personal injury case, the client had a neck muscle pain during exercising with the incline bench press. BEAR Engineers were called in to investigate if neck injury could be caused by the force of downward push of incline bench press while a user rested his head on the bench pad. We instrumented a bench and dynamically measured head forces in a controlled setting. ​ Figure 1. Head forces versus time elasped of exercising with inclined bench press. In another legal battle, BEAR Engineers were asked to examine spinning bikes to calculate the peak leg impact force that could potentially cause a leg or foot injury.   Similarly, BEAR Engineers instrumented the spinning machines in our lab and experimented, as seen as figure 2, of how much forces are employed on leg or foot while riding a machine. Using the test data of recorded force, BEAR analysis once again proved critical in helping settle this case. inclined bench press spinning machines Figure 2. Compartments inside of the spinning machine which were subject to be analyzed to derive the force applied on the leg and feet. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Projects | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Prototyping, Developing, and Testing. ​ BEAR can design and prototype static mechanical components such as passive cooling systems, dynamic mechanical systems such as mobile rotating and extending radar support structures, or complex computer driven electromechanical devices. Additionally, we can test designs from 3D scanner systems to fuel injectors.  ​ Increasingly, consumer products require software to function. Often, the software is hidden from the consumer. BEAR engineers have written m any applications such as DrumSoft© for analyzing laser scan clouds from pressure vessels; HVAC-t© to model, monitor and control facility HVAC systems; CitySAFE© to predict air and contaminant flow through a city in real time; GasFlow© for piping networks; BEARFlange© for the finite element analysis of piping components; and numerous other software programs for the analysis of hazardous gas diffusion and transient fluid surge. These programs were funded by Pacific Gas & Electric, the Welding Research Council, Chevron Corporation, and Mitsubishi Corporation.  ​ We hope you take the time to learn about our completed as well as ongoing projects, which are all innovative and philanthropic. Static mechanical devices, such as this hospital bed for burn victims require mechanical engineering knowledge to be designed in a practical, efficient, and safe fashion.  robotic visioning system   Frequently, inspections have to be conducted underground or inside of large vessels. To facilitate this, BEAR Engineers designed and built a robotic vision system that can be controlled remotely.   Our first robotic arm, Charlie, works primarily in South America, where it inspects coke drums, tanks, and ships. Subsequent units are used throughout the Americas, providing still and video images as well as 3D geometric captures. Animations Asbestos Automobiles Accident Analysis Impact Analysis Bearings Corrosion Pipeline Failure Robotic Visioning System Exercise Equipment Bench Press Spinning Machines Fatigue + Materials Deterioration Gates + Garage Doors Ladders Materials Science Medical Devices + Implants Electrosurgical Ball Electrode Forcepts Metallurgy Microscopy Metals Motorcycles Polymers + Plastics Product Liability Refineries + Power Plants Risk Management Testing Integrity Risk Analysis Tanks + Pressure Vessels ​ Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Failure of Bearings. ​ Bearings are mechanical components which enable an axial rotational, spherical rotational, linear, and hinge motion of many applications in transportation, construction, and household equipment. Unexpected failure of bearings can be caused by various factors - faulty design, human factors/mishandling, or an external source.  Bearings may have been designed to have improper fit, adjustment, and alignment. Less interference or excessive interference fit with shaft can cause fretting corrosion, creep, scuffling in the inner ring surface. Bearings fail by external source, such as impact or vibrational load, dirty or improper lubricant, mishandling, or moist/conductive environment. . Vibration or impact load will create the flaking, cracks, and chips of bearing. Vibration damages the bearings by fretting corrosion, corrosion damage induced under repeated stress on contact surface. Moist environments will create rust. When a current is passed through the bearing, the electric pitting can occur. BEAR engineers have been working with many clients who have an early failure of bearings, analyzing the cause of the failure and evaluating the damages.   ​ One prominent example is Milwaukee’s Miller Baseball Stadium .  The stadium employs very large bearings to support its retracting roof. When the roof suddenly collapsed, our team was called in to evaluate the damages. We found out that the failure of the retracting roof of the stadium was caused by improper placing of lubricant on the bearings . Instead of applying the lubricant on the contacting part with the roof of the bearing, the lubricant was put on non-contacting part of it. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Deepwater Horizon | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Deepwater Horizon Blowout.   On April 20, 2010. The Deepwater Horizon mobile offshore drilling rig experienced a blowout while abandoning a well (after cementing operations). The primary piece of equipment used to stop a blowout in progress is the blowout preventer (BOP). This six-story tall, 400-ton piece of equipment is located on top of the wellhead on the ocean floor, 5,000 feet below sea level. The BOP contains five dual ram-like devices to control a well, which are described in numerous reports. The backstop device, if all fails, is the blind shear ram (BSR) that can both shear drill pipe that may be in the well as well as seal the well. The Chemical Safety Board (CSB), in approving its final report in April 2006, claimed the BSR failed "for reasons the offshore drilling industry remains largely unaware of..." This is an issue that must be considered in an emergency, along with upper bound pipe shear properties and the friction forces that develop in closing a BSR during a blowout. These issues have been inadequately addressed in the industry, but are detailed in the paper.  ​ In 2011, the BEAR team was asked to provide forensic engineering and economics analysis on the BP Deepwater Horizon well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. One piece of the analysis consisted of evaluating the possibility of a stand-by blowout preventer that might have shortened the time and amount of uncontrolled release of oil and hence lessened the damages cause by the well blowout. A straight forward cost/benefit analysis was performed. ​ ​ Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Services | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Areas of Service. Accident Analysis + Reconstruction Auto + Bus + Airline+ Railroad Analysis Battery Analysis Building Systems, Elevators, Escalators Failures Computer Animation Courtroom Support Damage Assessments Design Services  + Prototyping Electrical Circuit Analysis Electrical Engineering Expert Services Expert Witness + Testimony Failure Analysis Finite Element Analysis FMEA (Failure Mode & Effect Analysis) Fire + Water Cause & Origin Full Scale Fabrication + Testing On & Offsite Inspections Lab Services Litigation + Trial Support Mechanical Engineering + Testing   (stress, load, strength, torque) Medical Device and Equipment Failures Metallurgical + Materials Testing Patent Analysis and IPRs Product Development Product Design Failures Product Testing + Analysis Scanning + Monitoring Systems Stress Analysis T rial Graphics Video Services 3D Scanning ​ Not sure if your case falls into these categories? Call us for a consultation!   510-725-6005 Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> New Page | bear-website-final top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Privacy Policy. ​ Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. is committed to protecting our clients personal information. This Statement of our Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our website, products, or services. By using any of our Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc websites, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.   Information Collection: We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you use our website, products, or services. This information may include your name, email address, phone number, and other contact information. We may collect additional information either personal or non-personal, and/or specific project information that is provided to us by you in the future. ​ Information Use: The information we collect is used for several purposes, including providing you with the products and services you have requested, communicating with you about your account and the services you have retained Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. to accomplish.  We may also use your information for marketing purposes, including sending you newsletters, updates about our products and services, customer appreciation and holiday cards. To facilitate this, we may use an email software service such as a Constant Contact. This software helps us to manage our customer relationships and to provide you with more personalized marketing experiences. If you do not wish to receive communications from us about updates and services, you can opt-out of receiving these communications by following the instructions contained in the messages you receive. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. reserves the right to send you communications and announcements relating to the services we provide or have provided to you. ​ Information Protection: We take appropriate measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. This includes technical, physical, and administrative security measures. We will not retain your personal data for longer than is necessary for our business purposes or for legal requirements. We are transparent about the ways in which we collect and use personal data and welcome your questions and concerns. If you have any concern or a complaint about the way we handle your personal data, please contact us immediately.    Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies: Like many commercial websites, our website service analyzes how visitors use our Site through what is known as "cookie" technology. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer when you access the Site and allows us to recognize you each time you visit the Site. We may use cookies to:  1) monitor Site usage; 2) manage the Site; and 3) improve the Site and our services. If you choose, you can set your browser to reject cookies or you can manually delete individual or all of the cookies on your computer by following your browser's help file directions. Our Sites use Google Analytics to analyze your website activity. You can opt out of Google Analytics by visiting  https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout .   Data Retention: We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide you with our products and services and to comply with legal requirements.   California Privacy Rights ​ California law permits our customers who are California residents to request certain information about our disclosure of personal data to third parties for their own direct marketing purposes during the preceding calendar year. This request is free and may be made once a year.   To make such a request, contact our Administration at 510-549-3300 x 105. Please note that Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. does not sell your personal information or plan to sell it ever. We respect and understand that you may still want us to ensure that we do not sell it so, please either call us or email us at [email protected] . ​ If you are under 18 years of age, reside in California, and have provided us with personal data, you have the right to request removal of unwanted data that you publicly post on the Site. To request removal of such data, you can contact us at [email protected] . Upon receiving such a request, we will make sure that the data is never available on our sites, but the information may not be completely or comprehensively removed from our systems and databases.   Changes to This Policy: We may make changes to this privacy policy from time to time. If we make changes, we will update this policy and post the revised policy on our website.   Contact Us: If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policy, please contact us at: Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc., 808 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA 94710  ​ ​ ​ ​ Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> metals | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Metals. ​ turbine blade failure ​ BEAR engineers determine the root cause of failure, not just the failure mode of metal structure. The turbine blade in the photograph to the left, for example, cracked due to creep. Creep is a common deformation of materials due to tensile stresses at high temperatures for long periods of time.   micrograph of turbine blade   BEAR engineers thoroughly analyze the surface of the products using a scanning microscope. A SEM micrograph (shown below) of the crack surface shows the intercrystalline fracture mode and voids, which are  typical indications of creep failures. This turbine blade also had additional causes of failure after we examined the surface with optical microscopy. It showed that during service, the blade had been subjected to extreme temperatures, which were severe enough to cause melting. optical micrograph of turbine blade   An optical micrograph of the blade (shown below) shows a void that resulted from melting of the metal underneath the protective coating. Centrifugal forces during service caused the melted metal to flow toward the edge of the blade, where it displaced the coating, at the yellow arrow. The coating then spalled off, leaving the blade unprotected and susceptible to creep damage. sector shaft failure   Other recent investigations conducted at BEAR have focused on interpreting fractures and identifying the causes of failure. There were many possible factors of the failures, so we had to carefully eliminate certain suspected causes for failure. In this case, BEAR was asked to determine what was the cause of the accident of the shaft failure.                 ​ ​   fracture surface of sector shaft   We found out that the fracture occurred from the steering mechanism on a truck, transporting a full load. The photograph shows the fracture surface of the sector shaft. The fracture surface had a circumferential smearing and a slightly off-centered final fracture zone. side-view of sector shaft The side view of the broken shaft shows a twisting deformation from torsional forces during fracture. The fracture showed no indications of fatigue cracking, which would possibly point to a defect in the shaft as the cause for failure in the beginning of investigation. By interpreting the fracture features, we were able to determine that the failure was due to a single, torsional overload event. In other words, the shaft was subjected to a force during the accident that resulted in its failure. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> clients | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Our Clients We work as partners with our clients to meet their challenges.  Whether we’re testing a product, investigating an accident, redesigning a manufacturing defect, or designing a prototype, we  have the experience to help our clients reach their specific goals.   24-Hour Fitness Abbey Weitzenberg Hoffman Warren & Emery AC Transit Acushnet Company Aerosafe International Alameda County A J Miller & Associates Aaron & Wilson, LLP Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Alberta Envirofuels, Inc. Alison Stevens Allied Group Insurance Allstate Insurance Company AMCO Insurance Company American Star Insurance Co Anamet Laboratories, Inc. AneuRx, Inc Anvil Corporation APCO Willamette Valve & Primer Corp ARCO Products Company Boyle Engineering Corp. BIGGE, Inc BP/ARCO Carson Refinery CalFarm Insurance Company California Insurance Group California Public Utility Commission California State Auto Insurance (AAA) Canandaigua Wine Co Cardiovascular Concepts, Inc. Catholic Care West Chevron Research & Technology Chevron USA Products Company City of San Mateo City of San Jose Coastal St. Helens Chemical Coen Company, Inc. Cold Storage Manufacturing, Inc. Conoco Phillips Denenberg Tuffley, PLLC Derrick Fire Investigation Diehl Steinheimer Riggio Hydel & Mordaunt Diepenbrock Wulff Plant & Hannegan Dillingham & Murphy Dolan Law Firm     Dow Chemical Dowling,  Aaron & Keeler Downey Brand Seymour & Rohwer Dreyer Babich Buccola & Callaham Dryden Margoles Schimaneck Kelly & Wertz Duncan Ball Evans & Ubaldi EC Engine Components Inc Ed Baldwin Electric Power Research Institute Engineering Systems Inc. EnvTech, Inc. Factory Mutual Engineering Farmers Insurance Companies Filice Brown Eassa & McLeod, LLP Filterdyne Systems Fisher Kinaris, P.C. Fire Cause Analysis FTI Corporation Glynn & Finley, LLP Guidant Corporation Gurnee & Daniels LLP Gilmore Law Firm Imai, Tadlock, Keeney & Cordery, LLP Intel Corporation Johnson Controls, Inc. KLA Tencor Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP Low Ball & Lynch LLP                                                                     Make-it-Safe Services, Inc. Mercury Insurance Motors Insurance Corp Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Co Pacesetter Inc Pacific Rim ISG, Inc. Pacific Telesis Panoramic Interests PG&E Phaeton Communications Photon Dynamics Portland Water Valve Co. Inc. Praxair Surface Technologies Pressure Piping Engineering Assoc., Inc. Purissima Hills Water District Safeco Insurance Company SAIC - Rock Mechanics Laboratory Science Applications Int Corporation Shilling Robotics LLC Siemens Solar Industries SSD Engineering Consultants Inc State Farm General Insurance Company Stealth Surgical Tesoro Corporation Testing Engineers, Inc. TOSCO Refining Toshiba America MRI Traveler's Insurance Unico Services, Inc. Unified Investigations & Sciences, Inc. United Security Products Universal Underwriters Group University of California, Berkeley University of California, San Francisco US Department of Justice US Pipe & Foundry Co USAA Property & Casualty Insurance USF&G Insurance Veco Alaska Inc Vibration Engineering Consultants, Inc. Warner Consulting Services Warren & Baerg Manufacturing, Inc. Wayne Vogen                 Wayne Winrow       Western Fire Center, Inc.  Westinghouse Electric Corp Whirlpool Corporation     White & Williams, LLP                          White Fleischner & Fino                                   Wilcoxen, Callahan, Montgomery & Harbison Zurich North America                                                                        Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> Contact Us | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you! For general questions regarding our services, please use the contact form below. ​ N eed more information or a quote? Please call us at  510-549-3300 x 105 or email [email protected] Your message was sent successfully! We usually respond within 1-2 business days. Send ​ Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA 94710 Tel: 510-549-3300 Fax: 510-619-7233 ​ To enter the facilities, please use: 1310 Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710   Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> pipeline analysis | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Pipelines Analysis. ​ Pipelines might not always be seen, but the United States has the largest network of pipes of anywhere in the world with over 2.4 million miles of pipeline ( source ).  This includes pipes the directly connect to homes and heavily populated areas, a majority of which is typically hidden underground or out of site.  A failure is can be catastrophic.   According to the PHMSA, weld/material failures and corrosion failures cause the majority of failures. The BEAR Engineers have worked on the Alaska Pipeline (see images b elow) in addition to gas pipelines in urban centers, refineries and chemical plants and steam pipes in commercial buildings and under city streets.  Other major projects include the San Bruno Pipeline explosion, and the New York Steam Pipe explosion. Visit our Pipelines page to download our Pipeline White Paper to learn more.    BEAR's laboratory is fully equipped with specialized machinery and knowledge to test pipelines for its material properties, the types of stresses it undergoes, and strains inside of pipelines. ​ ​ gas pipeline rupture In one case, an underground gas pipeline was struck by a farmer using a "ripper." The resulting explosion le d to comprehensive damage and many injuries. The BEAR team was asked to assist in the assessment and analysis. The damaged pipe wall is shown on the right. ​ ​ steam pipe inspection In another case, a steam-heating pipe exploded under a busy intersection in Manhattan, NY. The BEAR team was asked to assess the maintenance procedures and make recommendations to avoid future incidents. The photo on the right shows the exposed underground pipes. syncrude pipe failure causes $2 billion loss ​ The BEAR team approached this case with diligence and rigorous scientific analysis, considering all possible theories. The wax casting and computer stress analysis eliminated all possible scenarios except one.   Casting and reassembling of the failed pipe clearly showed that the rupture occurred only after the pipe was "buckled" by a nearby explosion. The picture at left shows the pipe in wax after buckling, but before rupture. ​ pipe failure in mojave desert   Dr. Stevick conducted a primary research on the steam pipe failure at the Mojave Southern California Power Plant. The rupture destroyed the power plant and resulted in five fatalities. The pipe ruptured along a weld seam due to the mismatch of high temperature properties between the weld and basemetal.   Dr. Stevick's analysis resulted in a change in the piping code for high temperature service. His contribution to this and other codes has been substantial and continues to improve industry practices. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> automobiles | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Automobile Accident Reconstruction ​ ​ BEAR was been engaged to investigate a 2010 Toyota Prius’ failure to brake at a traffic signal. The investigation was carried out in Los Angeles, CA. The ensuing investigation resulted in additional laboratory examination at our Berkeley facility, where we deconstructed the brake system mechanics, electronics and software control of the Prius.   Using advanced electronic sensors and data acquisition techniques exclusively developed by BEAR, engineers analyzed any automotive braking system in-place, measuring pressures and flows without disturbing or destroying the evidence.   BEAR has over 30 years of diverse talent in automotive, aerospace, industrial, and commercial product development.  ​ ​ Accident reconstruction is a scientific process used to investigate and analyze the causes and events of a vehicle collision, helping to establish fault and liability. It involves analyzing various elements to piece together the accident’s cause and effect. Our experts uses computer simulations, diagrams, and other tools to recreate the accident scene. This visual representation can be used to illustrate how the accident occurred and highlight key pieces of evidence.​ ​ Our experience includes: Private Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Tractor Trailers, Trucks of all kinds, Passenger Busses, Construction Equipment, Cranes, Warehouse equipment, Lift trucks and Forklifts, Agricultural Vehicles and Equipment, Motorcycles, Bicycles and Scooters, E-bikes, Recreational Vehicles, Motor Homes, ATVs/UTVs &Snowmobiles impact analysis   FEA capability allows us to perform a complete 3D impact analysis with multiple colliding bodies, including automobile collisions, crane tip-overs, and ladder/chair accidents.  In addition to analysis of rigid and deformable body motion, BEAR engineers create models that contain both.  These complex models can include anything from human (dummy) components, to seat belts and airbags, to determine the dynamic response of a person in   the analysis. ​ Failure or damage, such as tearing, fracture, and buckling, can be computed as a function of time for any components being modeled. This method can be applied to components made of ceramics, steel, plastic, concrete, soil, or any other material. Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> metallurgy | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Metallurgy Lab   Berkeley has a full fledged metallurgy lab that consists of standard microscopes, electron microscopes (including one that accepts plastics), a spectrometer that identifies the composition of materials, and other tools necessary to determine materials and their failures. optical microscopy With an optical microscope, BEAR engineers examine properties of certain materials. Surfaces or cross-sections of samples are examined with this kind of microscope. scanning electron microscopy Our Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) capability complements digital microscopy by allowing resolutions of up to 50,000x. To the left is the SEM, and the plot on the right is generated by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) of the surface being analyzed with the SEM. From the plot, we can understand what kind of elements are present on the targeted surface. digital microscopy Our portable digital microscope has two polarizers, which reduces glare and provides incredibly sharp images. The photo to the right is of the microscope itself. This device took the image of the horizontal cross section (image to the left) of a hip implant failure. Contact us! Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page --> bear patents | BEAR, Inc. top of page Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. Plures Intelligens Modicum Machinatorem  808 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA  94710  |  510-549-3300  |   [email protected] Dr. Glen Stevick, P.E. ext. 101  |  Dr. Dave Rondinone, P.E. ext. 102  |   Derek King , P.E. ext. 103   |  Mingxi Zheng, P.E. ext. 106  View Expert CVs home about us research papers + awards bear patents clients experts staff + CVs services accident analysis auto accident reconstruction animations courtroom support failure analysis finite element analysis fire investigation lab services litigation support manufacturing plant failures pipeline analysis product design sevices stress analysis projects BEAR Specialty Product Line Deepwater Horizon Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Upgrading Milwaukee's Miller Stadium Bearings San Bruno Pipeline Analysis asbestos exercise equipment fatigue + materials deterioration gates + garage doors ladders medical devices + implants metallurgy metals motorcycles polymers + plastics product liability refineries + power plants risk management tanks + pressure vessels vehicle engineering contact More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. BEAR Patents. ​A selection of patents by BEAR Engineers: FREQUENCY STABILIZATION SYSTEM. File No. 32157 Singer, J.R., assigned to the University of California. MEMORY STORAGE SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL COMPUTERS. File No. 623,921 Singer, J.R., assigned to the University of California. FLOW RATE MEASUREMENTS USING NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE AND ELECTRON PARMAGNETIC RESONANCE TECHNIQUES. Singer, J.R. File No. 3,191,119. ELECTRONIC RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL COMPUTERS. Singer, J.R., File No. 3,255,437. METHOD FOR FLOW MEASUREMENT USING NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE I., Singer, J.R., J. Libove. File No. 4,574,240. METHODS FOR FLOW MEASUREMENT USING NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE II., Singer, J.R., J. Libove. File No. 4,574,240. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID NMR IMAGING USING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES., Singer, J.R., L. Crooks, et.al., (revised) File No. 4,297,637A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID NMR IMAGING., Singer, J.R., L. Crooks, et.al., (revised) File No. 4,318,043A. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID NMR IMAGING OF NUCLEAR PARAMETERS WITHIN AN OBJECT., Singer, J.R., L. Crooks, et.al., (revised) File No. 4,471,305A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAPPING LINES OF NUCLEAR DENSITY WITHIN AN OBJECT USING NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE. Singer, J.R., L. Crooks, J. Hoenninger, et.al., (revised) File No. 4,599,567A IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING ACATTERED AND DIFFUSED RADIATION. Singer, J.R., Grunbau, Kohn and Zubelli, File No. 5,070,455. APPARATUS FOR MEASURING VOLTAGES AND CURRENTS USING NON-CONTACTING SENSORS. Singer, J.R., J. Libove. File No. 5,473,244     METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID DETERMINATIONS OF VOLTAGE AND CURRENT IN WIRES AND CONDUCTORS. Singer, J.R., J. Libove. File No. 6,043,641 APPARATUS FOR FAST MEASUREMENTS OF CURRENT AND POWER WITH SCALEABLE WNAD-LIKE SENSORS. Singer, J.R., J. Libove. File No. 6,118,270 Method and Apparatus for Dynamic - Time Imaging System. Singer, J.R., Stevick, Rondinone, Rocklin. File No. Pending Method and Apparatus for measuring D.C. and A.C. Voltages Using Non-Contacting Sensors. Singer, J.R., Joel Libove and Steven Chacko. File No. 6,452,398 Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc. 808 Gilman Street Berkeley, California 94710   Tel: 510-549-3300  Fax: 510-619-7233 Email: [email protected] © 2020 by BEAR, Inc. About Experts Services Projects Contact Privacy Policy bottom of page