Alfred M. Pettinger

Dr. Alfred Pettinger is Principal and Vice President responsible for the continued development and execution of ESi’s corporate strategy, with a focus on business and geographic expansion as well as long-range planning and profitability. He also provides direct oversight and management of our Mechanics practice and leads with a thorough and detail-oriented approach, and a commitment to ensuring exceptional client service and value.

Dr. Pettinger’s career as a consultant spans more than two decades and includes hundreds of failure analysis investigations. He is frequently retained in high-value litigation and international arbitration matters and has provided expert testimony in U.S. courts and arbitral forums. His opinions have been cited and incorporated by appellate courts, and he regularly authors expert reports in complex, high-loss cases. He is well known for his strong track record of delivery in complex, large-loss projects where he brings deep technical expertise, a unique big-picture understanding of operational needs, and a proven yet practical approach. Over the years, Dr. Pettinger has been tapped to build and lead multidisciplinary technical teams on issues of national and international significance.

Mechanical Engineering

Well-known for his expertise in the mechanical behavior of materials, Dr. Pettinger is routinely consulted on issues related to design, reliability, durability, controllability, operation, performance, and regulatory compliance of equipment and machinery. His experience spans the full lifecycle of the equipment, from the initial design phases to transportation, installation, operation, maintenance, and failure analysis.

Dr. Pettinger has analyzed and developed design solutions for a wide spectrum of industries, including construction, manufacturing, and transportation. He is routinely called upon to investigate issues related to industrial machinery such as pumps, actuators, hydraulic systems, gears, engines, bolted connections, fans, and turbines. He has also consulted on patent validity for mechanical apparatus and assisted manufacturers of consumer and commercial products with product recalls and regulatory inquiries.

Pipeline Operations and Analysis

Incidents involving pipelines can rapidly become mission-critical, escalating in size, complexity, and visibility — and creating significant risk and liability. Dr. Pettinger’s technical expertise, combined with his field experience, has made him a go-to partner for matters ranging from routine operation and maintenance to catastrophic pipeline failures. He has consulted on onshore and offshore pipeline systems across North America, South America, and Asia, including integrity audits, enforcement actions, and root cause investigations in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice, and international development banks.

Aviation & Aerospace

Earlier in his career, Dr. Pettinger worked in Germany for the European aerospace industry. He brings this experience to his aviation and aerospace work at ESi, where he focuses on structural engineering, damage tolerance, and failure analysis. Recent projects include evaluating wing and fuselage designs, composite structures, and repair procedures for commercial aircraft and business jets.

Dr. Pettinger earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering/Applied Mechanics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has presented at numerous legal, industry, and technical forums, and published extensively on topics related to structural integrity, mechanical engineering, pipeline engineering, and failure analysis.

Areas of Expertise

Professional Associations

• The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• ASM International
• ASTM International