Forensic structural engineering

When a structure fails,
you need answers that hold up.

Independent forensic structural investigation across South Africa. When a building, silo, tank, bridge, or industrial structure cracks, subsides, floods, burns, or collapses, we establish what happened and why, and issue a report signed by a registered Professional Engineer that stands up to scrutiny.

The situation

The situations we investigate

These are the moments when a signed, independent engineering finding is worth far more than an opinion, because a claim, a dispute, or a rebuild turns on it.

01

Cracking and deflection

Progressive cracking, sagging, or movement in a structure that may signal an underlying structural problem.

02

Partial or full collapse

Failure of a roof, slab, wall, silo, or frame, where the cause must be established before rebuild or dispute.

03

Fire, flood, and blast damage

Assessment of structural integrity after a fire, flood, explosion, or nearby blasting or construction.

04

Subsidence and foundation movement

Settlement, heave, or foundation failure affecting a building or industrial structure.

05

Construction and design disputes

Independent analysis where workmanship, design, or materials are in question between parties.

06

Insurance and liability claims

A defensible engineering opinion on cause, extent, and responsibility to support a claim or defence.

The deliverable

What the investigation delivers

Not a folder of photographs. A measured, reasoned, signed engineering document that does its job when it matters.

WhatWhy it matters
Independent Pr Eng opinionA findings report on cause and extent, signed by a registered Professional Engineer (ECSA), written to be defensible in a claim, dispute, or litigation.
Evidence-based, not opinion-onlyWe capture the failure in measurable detail with reality-capture and structural survey, so the findings rest on data, not a walkaround. Evidence is timestamped and geolocated.
Cause and contributing factorsA clear engineering account of what failed and why, separating the primary cause from contributing factors, with the reasoning laid out.
Remediation and make-safe guidanceWhere in scope, advice on immediate make-safe measures and a repair or rebuild methodology, so you can act on the finding.
Prioritised, time-stamped recordA structured record an owner, insurer, adjuster, or attorney can act on, and that holds its value if the matter runs for months.
Support through the disputeClarification and further engineering input as a claim or matter progresses, where that falls within our appointed scope.
Who we work with

Instructed by the people
who decide the outcome.

We keep the investigation independent, whichever side instructs it, because that is what makes the finding stand.

Building and asset owners Insurers and underwriters Loss adjusters Attorneys and legal teams Body corporates and managing agents Mines, plants, and industrial operators
Why Delta Scan

Signed by an engineer.
Backed by evidence.

We are an engineering reality-capture firm. That combination is exactly what a forensic or insurance investigation needs: measurable evidence, interpreted and signed by a registered engineer.

PrEngECSA registered, report signed
R5mProfessional indemnity cover
L1B-BBEELevel 1 contributor
1dayResponse, priority for active risks

Reports are reviewed and signed by a registered Professional Engineer, Darryl Epstein (Pr Eng, ECSA 202001436). The evidence behind them is captured with the same reality-capture discipline we use across mining, energy, and infrastructure: laser scanning, drone and thermal survey, and 3D reconstruction, so the finding rests on measurement, not memory. We operate nationally, carry professional indemnity cover, and keep every investigation independent of who instructs it.

Questions

Straight answers.

How fast can you get to site?

We respond to a forensic enquiry within one business day and prioritise active safety risks and incidents. Actual site attendance depends on location and access, which we confirm with you on first contact.

Is the report signed by a registered engineer?

Yes. Findings are reviewed and signed by a registered Professional Engineer (Pr Eng, ECSA). That is the difference between an opinion and a defensible engineering report.

Can you act for insurers and attorneys?

Yes. We work for owners, insurers, loss adjusters, and legal teams, and we keep the investigation independent so the finding stands regardless of who instructs it.

What does an investigation cost?

It depends on the structure, the access, and the depth of analysis required. Send the details and we will scope it and come back with a proposal.

Start here

Request a forensic investigation

Tell us what has happened and where. We respond within one business day, with priority for active safety risks and incidents.

Response within 1 business day · Independent · Pr Eng (ECSA) signed

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