Elvis Cepuš
Senior Engineer
Aviation, Product and Property
elvis.cepus@meaforensic.com
Direct: 778-724-1627
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Elvis Cepuš has been with MEA Forensic Engineers and Scientists since 2005. He conducts failure analyses on a variety of component and machine failures and specializes in aviation accident investigations including; gas turbine or piston engine failures, transmission failures, re-worked or repaired component failures, manufacturing and design defects, and various structural issues which have resulted in a hull loss or a major claim. Where appropriate, finite element modelling is used to supplement classical analytical techniques including fatigue analysis and fracture mechanics.
Examples of other failures investigated include mountain bike suspension forks, road bike carbon fibre components, automotive and towing component failures, plumbing and fire protection system components, ladder mishaps, construction defects, and fastener failures.
Dr. Cepuš' past work experience was in the design and manufacture of heavy-lift equipment. During his Doctoral studies he focused on the performance of various ballistic armour systems, and was involved in numerous composite material research projects which included testing and modelling.
Credentials
PhD, Metals and Materials Engineering, 2003
MScME, Mechanical Engineering, 1995
BASc, Mechanical Engineering, 1992
Registered Professional Engineer
Areas of Specialization
• Fatigue and fracture analysis analysis of aviation components and structures
• Accident reconstruction of aviation accidents
• Gas turbine accident investigation
• Mechanical and material failures
• Response of ballistically/dynamically loaded structures
• Composite material failures
• Textile materials
• Metallurgical analysis
• Product failure analysis
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Metals and Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2003.
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, 1995.
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, 1992.
Professional Associations
Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), since 2000.
Company Membership with American Society for Metals (ASM) International, since August 2005.
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC), License No. 32605, 2008.
Professional Experience
MEA FORENSIC ENGINEERS & SCIENTISTS
Senior Engineer, August 2005 to Present
Failure analyst for product litigation and property. Responsible for determining root and contributing causes of failure in consumer products, industrial equipment, buildings, motor vehicles and transport. Engineering work includes evidence and site examination, metallurgical analysis, materials characterization and identification, fractography, friction and wear, dynamics, stress analysis, sequence of events, codes and standards compliance, and SEM operation and analysis. Routinely stages experiments to evaluate hypotheses for failed components, machines and processes. Conducts material analysis via FTIR. Expert in the ballistic behaviour of composite materials. Performs FEA modeling using the Solidworks/COSMOS software package.
DEPARTMENT OF METALS AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Research Associate/Assistant to NSERC Coordinator, March 2004 to Present
Post-Doctoral Fellow/Assistant to NSERC Coordinator, January 2003 to March 2003
Primary investigator/experimentalist in the ballistic response of textile materials for use in armour appliances. Responsible for the acquisition of ~$500k of research equipment and tools including a composites manufacturing autoclave, laser scanning CMM, and a suite of machines including a DSC, DMA and TMA.
Analysis of NSERC award data for The Office of the Vice President: Research.
DEPARTMENT OF METALS AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Contract Researcher, September 1997 to August 2005
K2 – Developed 1st published instrumented inline skate testing apparatus. Pacific Safety Products – Comprehensive study of ceramic manufacturing variables on the ballistic and quasi-static performance of ceramic armour. InTec – Quantified the impact performance of potential panels for airline cargo containers.
KANLIFT DESIGN INC., VANCOUVER, BC
Design Engineer, October 1994 to December 2002
Performed structural, fatigue and mechanical analysis of specialty cranes designed for military and civilian application. Developed all maintenance, operation and pre/post-shipping manuals. Conducted training seminars.
Awards
-2001 SAMPE Student Symposium, awarded 1st place in PhD Category. Selected as the North American student representative for SAMPE Europe/JEC in Paris, France, 2002.
- Outstanding Paper: 2nd place, 33rd SAMPE Technical Conference, 2001.
-John Sylvan Nadeau Prize, awarded by the UBC Department of Metals and Materials Engineering to students of high academic achievement and extra-curricular involvement, 2001.
- 1999 & 2000 SAMPE Student Symposium, awarded 2nd place in PhD Category both years.
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journals
A. Shahkarami, E. Cepuš, R. Vaziri, and A. Poursartip , Material Responses to Ballistic Impact, in Lightweight Ballistic Composites: Military and Law-Enforcement Applications, Editor: A. Bhatnagar, Woodhead Publishing Limited, pp. 72-100, 2006. (book chapter)
WR Novotny, E Cepuš, A Shahkarami, R Vaziri* and A Poursartip (2006). Numerical Investigation of the Ballistic Efficiency of Multi-Ply Fabric Armours During the Early Stages of Impact. International Journal of Impact Engineering.
C Wonderly, J Grenestedt, G Fernlund, E Cepuš (2005). Comparison of mechanical properties of glass fiber/vinyl ester and carbon fiber/vinyl ester composites. Composites B, 36(5), pp. 417-426.
D Starratt, T Sanders, E Cepuš, A Poursartip, R Vaziri (2000). An efficient method for continuous measurement of projectile motion in ballistic impact experiments. International Journal of Impact Engineering, 24(2) pp. 155-170.
Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings
W. Novotny, E. Cepuš, A. Shahkarami, R. Vaziri, A. Poursartip (2005). Numerical modelling of the early impact behaviour of multi-ply fabric armours. WIT Transaction on Engineering Science, Vol. 49, Impact Loading of Lightweight Structures, pp 403-420.
D Grande, W Avery, E Cepuš, A Poursartip. Instrumental impact testing of inline skates. SAMPE 33rd ISTC, 2001.
E Cepuš, T Sanders, M Deutekom, R Vaziri, A Poursartip, R Delagrave and M Szymczak. Impact response of GFRP plates as measured by different experimental techniques. In: 18th International Symposium on Ballistics, San Antonio, Texas, 1999.
E Cepuš, A Shahkarami, R Vaziri, A Poursartip. Effect of boundary conditions on the ballistic response of textile structures. In: 12th International Conference on Composite Materials (ICCM-12), Paris, France, 1999.
E Cepuš, CD Liu, MN Bassim. The effect of microstructure on the mechanical properties and adiabatic shear band formation in a medium carbon steel. Euro DYMAT, Oxford, England, 1994.
Abstracts
M Bailey, E Cepuš. Failure Analysis of PVC Pipe Joint Separations. Materials Science & Technology 2006.
Other Publications
Cepuš E, Electron Microscopy: What is it, What can it do, and Why is it Useful in Claims Investigations, Adjusters’ Quarterly, Summer 2006.
Cepuš E (2003). An Experimental investigation of the early dynamic impact behaviour of textile armour systems: Decoupling material from system response. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Cepuš E (1995). Evolution of adiabatic shear bands in high strength steals at high shear-strain rates. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Lectures and presentations
January 11, 2011 – Presenter. Water & Fire Investigations, Product Litigation and Construction Defects. Insurance Institute of British Columbia (IIBC).
November 8, 2007 – Presenter/Organizer. Use of Fourier Transform Infrared (ftir) Spectroscopy in Forensic Engineering as it applies to insurance claims investigations. Insurance Institute of British Columbia (IIBC).
1994 – 2002 – Presenter/Organizer. Operation and maintenance instructional seminars for custom built cranes for the US Navy Crane Center.
Training and Professional Development
October 2011 – Helicopter Accident Investigation Course, Southern California Safety Institute, San Pedro, CA.
September 19, 2011 – Fracture Mechanics Based Fatigue Analyses, Vancouver, BC.
September 12-15, 2011 – International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) Annual Seminar, Salt Lake City, UT.
November 2010 – Gas Turbine Accident Investigation Course, Southern California Safety Institute, San Pedro, CA.
December 2006 – COSMOS Works Professional Training Course, COSMOS The Analysis Division of SolidWorks, Santa Monica, CA.
June 2006 – Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis, Lehigh Microscopy School, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
Summer 1997 – L.S. Dyna user course.
Hobbies and Personal Interests
Avid cyclist
Three time Ironman Triathlon finisher
*09/16/11
Contact: elvis.cepus@meaforensic.com
This document does not allow the designation of Elvis Cepuš without prior authorization.