Expert Details
Materials Engineering; Expert Witness for Litigation Liabilities in Fiber Cement Industries
ID: 722858
Switzerland
He has a complete understanding of cement, fibers, synthetic fibers, and cellulose fibers and has been involved in the addition and handling of these materials in the production process of fiber cement materials. He has also experience in testing these materials for varied physical and chemical properties short and long term. In addition to fiber cement products Expert has also experience in inorganic polymers, such as activated fly ash and kaolin with and without fiber reinforcement.
He has over 25 years’ experience in product development with fiber cement composite materials and other related products. This experience has included composite design, testing, and assessment according to varied applications. A vast amount of experience has also been related to prediction of long-term durability, which includes creep, fatigue, and aging behavior. He has also developed accelerated aging tests, which can be used to predict the product performance. He has also run production trials on an industrial scale for fiber cement composite materials and assessed these products in the laboratory and on site.
Expert has taken a leading roll in product developement in fibre cement composite materials.He has assisted in the developement of inorganic polymer materials. Expert has provided expertise and was an expert witness in litigation on liabilities for roofing materials. Expert has provided technical backup and has assisted in building a factory with regard to fibre cement products.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1973 | Degree: B.Sc. | Subject: Physics and Mathematics | Institution: University of Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
| Year: 1974 | Degree: B.Sc. Honors | Subject: Physics | Institution: University of Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
| Year: 1980 | Degree: Ph.D. | Subject: Materials Engineering | Institution: University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2000 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Undisclosed | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:Expert is Principal Consultant. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 2000 | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Vice Director | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:He was head of Research & Development which included basic research and product developement for Eternit in Switzerland and Slovenia. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1993 | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: General Manager | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:Expert worked on the conversion from asbestos-free products to autoclaved technology. He was involved in a license agreement with James Hardie Australia. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1980 to 1988 | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Group Leader | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:He performed basic research and development for the conversion of asbestos products to asbestos-free using air cured technology. This also included collaboration with varied universities. |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2004 to Present | Country / Region: USA | Summary: Expert set up a laboratory in order to assess the properties of cellulose fibers in fiber cement materials. |
| Years: 2003 to 2005 | Country / Region: Australia | Summary: He provided expertise in a joint development work in inorganic polymer materials. |
| Years: 2000 to Present | Country / Region: Australia | Summary: Expert has provided expertise on how to assess the durability and long-term predictions for a special pipe development. |
| Years: 2000 to Present | Country / Region: South Africa | Summary: He has provided technical expertise and trouble shooting for a major fiber cement producer. |
| Years: 2004 to Present | Country / Region: Thailand | Summary: Expert has assisted in setting up a production line to produce autoclaved fiber cement products. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| He was an expert witness for attorneys in California with regard to roofing products. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| He has provided a series of lectures at Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby on varied topics see. He has also conducted a training course in how to make decisions under pressure. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| German | Expert is fluent in German; it is his seond language. |
| Afrikans | He is fluent in Afrikans; it is his third language. |
| Flemish, Dutch, and French | Expert is able to read and understand these three languages but is not fluent in writing or speaking. |
Fields of Expertise
fiber-reinforced composite, fiber-reinforced concrete, synthetic fiber, cellulose fiber, composite material mechanical property, composite manufacturing tooling, fiber physics, nylon-fiber-reinforced cement, glass-fiber-reinforced cement, short fiber-reinforced metallic composite, short fiber-reinforced ceramic composite, short fiber-reinforced composite, fiberglass-reinforced composite fabrication, fiber-reinforced composite bar, fiber-reinforced plastic bar, glass-filled polyester, composite material process development, material product development, materials handling, new product development, random-fiber composite, product design, fiber-reinforced plastic, reinforced concrete structure, polypropylene fiber, high-strength concrete, glass fiber polymer composite, composite material, acrylic fiber