Forensic Engineering & Expert Witness Services

Structural evidence,
read like a drawing
reported like proof.

Roozbeh Assadian MSc MICE CEng, Associate Member of the Expert Witness Institute. Independent, CPR Part 35–compliant expert opinion on civil, structural, geotechnical and construction disputes, backed by 29 years designing and investigating the structures in question.

29
Years in Practice
$16B+
Projects Investigated
£35M
Claim Successfully Challenged
CPR 35
Compliant Reporting

About

A methodical investigator with an engineer's eye for what actually failed, and why.

I am a Chartered Civil Engineer with 29 years of experience across civil, structural and geotechnical design and delivery, including major energy and infrastructure projects for operators such as Shell, Chevron and Kuwait's state oil sector. That background sits behind every report I write: I have specified the connections, checked the drawings and stood on the scaffolding that later end up in dispute.

I now provide independent expert witness services in civil, structural, geotechnical and construction matters — from contractor claim assessments to defect investigation and root-cause analysis — supported by core competency training in UK expert witness practice, report writing and expert discussions through the Expert Witness Institute.

My duty is to the Court, not to the instructing party. Every opinion I sign is one I would defend under cross-examination.

  • QualificationMSc Structural Eng. / BSc Civil Eng. (Hons)
  • Chartered StatusCEng — UK Engineering Council
  • InstitutionChartered Member, ICE
  • Expert Witness BodyAssociate Member, EWI
  • BasedRuislip, Greater London, UK
  • AvailabilityUK-wide instruction

Specialist Field

Expert opinion across the full life of a structure

From original design intent through to site failure, I assess what was specified, what was built, and where responsibility for the gap between the two actually sits.

01 — Investigation

Structural Failure & Defect Assessment

Root-cause analysis of cracking, movement, damp and structural non-compliance, combining site inspection, moisture and thermal survey with drawing review.

02 — Disputes

Contractor Claims & Counter-Analysis

Technical and contractual scrutiny of contractor claims, scope-of-works interpretation, and drafting of evidence-based responses for legal and commercial teams.

03 — Compliance

Building Regulations & Standards

Assessment against Building Regulations (including Part 2A, Approved Document K), Eurocodes and industry codes, with clear attribution of responsibility.

04 — Evidence

Site Inspection & Testing

Moisture meter surveys, thermal imaging, dimensional surveys and welding/connection inspection, documented and cross-referenced against disclosure.

05 — Contracts

Scope & Responsibility Attribution

Clear, defensible findings on where responsibility lies between client, contractor and prior parties, grounded in the contract and the documentary record.

06 — Reporting

CPR Part 35 Expert Reports

Independent, court-ready reports prepared to the Protocol for the Instruction of Experts in Civil Claims, with duty owed to the Court throughout.

Track Record

Selected major-project experience

Three decades of forensic and design experience on some of the world's largest energy and infrastructure projects — the same rigour is applied to every instruction, regardless of scale.

Al-Zour Refinery, Kuwait
PMC · US$16bn TIC
  • Successfully challenged a £35 million EPC contractor claim through technical and contractual scrutiny and counter-analysis.
  • Supported the Contracts team in refuting claims and interpreting scope inclusions and exclusions.
Pearl GTL, Qatar
Shell · US$19bn TIC
  • Investigated engineering integrity following incorrect construction, including tank-roof lifting analysis and insert-plate/bolt layout deviations.
Gorgon LNG, Australia
Chevron · A$44bn TIC
  • Identified a design flaw involving overlooked large-bore pipe weight that risked structural failure.
  • Provided the engineering justification that avoided retrofitting four 5,700-tonne pre-fabricated structures.
4th Aromatic Project
Petrochemical · World's largest
  • Provided forensic-level technical support during construction, proactively flagging and resolving design flaws.
  • Rejected unjustified contractor claims through rigorous contract and scope-of-work scrutiny.

Illustrative Instruction

Sample expert witness instruction

To give a sense of the kind of matter I take on, this summarises the shape of a recent instruction without identifying the parties, property, or claim.

  • Dispute typeResidential refurbishment — negligent workmanship allegations
  • Instructed byDefendant's solicitors
  • DeliverableCPR Part 35 expert report, single joint issues
  • ScaleTwo-unit residential conversion, multi-trade scope
  • Issues in dispute9 separate allegations across structural, waterproofing, M&E and finishes

Methodology applied on site

  • Structural drawing review cross-checked against as-built connections and fixings
  • Non-invasive moisture metering to trace damp penetration to source
  • Thermal imaging to identify localised heating system anomalies
  • Load testing and dimensional survey of a disputed structural installation
  • Full disclosure and correspondence review to establish scope, timing and responsibility

Outcome, in general terms

Across the nine disputed items, the evidence — drawings, disclosure, site inspection and instrument readings — pointed predominantly to causes outside the defendant's scope of work: pre-existing conditions left by an earlier contractor, materials and specifications that remained the client's responsibility to supply, and allegations first raised well outside the defect liability period. The report set out, issue by issue, which findings were within the expert's area of expertise and which fell to a different specialism.

How Instructions Proceed

A clear, four-stage engagement

Every matter follows the same disciplined sequence, so instructing solicitors know what to expect and when.

01

Case Review

Initial review of the letter of instruction, pleadings and key disclosure to confirm scope, conflicts and the specific questions to be addressed.

02

Site Inspection

On-site investigation with appropriate instruments — moisture metering, thermal imaging, dimensional survey — and photographic record.

03

Evidence Analysis

Cross-referencing of drawings, correspondence and witness statements against site findings to establish likely causation.

04

CPR 35 Report

Independent report with Statement of Truth, addressing the instructed questions and ready to withstand cross-examination.

Qualifications & Training

Credentials

  • Chartered Civil EngineerCEng, UK Engineering Council
  • Institution of Civil EngineersChartered Member
  • Expert Witness InstituteAssociate Member, since 2025
  • MSc Structural EngineeringUniversity of Tehran
  • BSc Civil Engineering (Hons)University of Tehran
  • Expert Witness Core CompetencyEWI, 2025
  • Geotechnical Design to Eurocode 7ICE, 2017
  • Seismic Design of StructuresIStructE, 2017
  • Structural Response — Fire & BlastAsranet, 2014
  • Steel Design to Eurocode 3SCI, 2010

In Their Words

What colleagues say

"Roozbeh has demonstrated himself to be a most reliable, diligent and painstaking engineer, who can think through difficult problems and find practical and safe solutions."

Richard Haworth — Structural Engineering Discipline Manager, Wood

"Roozbeh showed excellent commercial and contractual understanding, effectively managing the contractor to keep work progressing smoothly, on schedule and within budget."

Andrew J. Feeney — Principal Commercial Manager, Wood

Instruction & Enquiries

Ready to instruct an independent expert?

Get in touch with details of the matter, the property or asset involved, and the questions you need answered. I will confirm availability and any conflict check within two working days.

LocationRuislip, Greater London, UK
CoverageUK-wide instruction
Specialist FieldCivil & Structural, Construction Disputes
MembershipEWI · ICE · Engineering Council