Robert E. Burle, Jr., P.E.

Property Practice Leader

Forensic Services

Birmingham

BACKGROUND:

Mr. Robert Burle holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.  He has an extensive background in construction services and has combined this expertise with significant design and project management in structural engineering design, analysis, and failure analysis.

As a structural engineer, Mr. Burle’s design and analysis experience included contract management, design of structural framing, retaining structures, and shallow and deep foundations using structural analysis software (Bentley® RAM Elements, RAM Structural System, RAM Connection, Tekla® Structural Designer, Woodworks® Connections, and CSI® SAFE), multi-discipline coordination management, BIM modeling (Autodesk®, Revit®, and AutoCAD®), and construction administration.  His projects included single-family residences; multi-family mixed-use facilities; commercial office buildings; institutional classroom facilities; storm shelter peer reviews; healthcare facilities; stair, ramp, and handrail design; and mechanical and electrical equipment supports.  Mr. Burle’s experience has encompassed projects with building materials including, but not limited to, wood and timber framing; light-gauge metal framing; structural steel; plain-, mild-, and post-tensioned reinforced concrete; and plain and reinforced masonry.

Mr. Burle’s work in the field of forensic engineering includes the inspection and analysis of failures relating to civil/structural engineering and building envelopes in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and institutional buildings and structures.  Representative civil/structural investigations have involved inspections and analysis for failures in foundations, structural framing (e.g., steel, concrete, wood, masonry, and light-gauge framing), and retaining wall failures from causes including weather events (e.g., tornados, hurricanes, tree strikes, lightning, etc.), vehicular impacts, fires, wood-boring insects (e.g., termites), seismic, blast, and vibration forces, construction defects, and building code compliance.  Representative building envelope investigations have involved inspections and analysis for failures in exterior facades (e.g., brick veneer, stucco, exterior insulation and finishing system [EIFS], precast concrete panels, etc.), steep-slope roof coverings (e.g., asphalt shingles, wood shakes and shingles, slate, clay, and concrete tiles, etc.), and low-slope roof coverings (e.g., modified bitumen [mod-bit], thermoplastic polyolefin [TPO], polyvinyl chloride [PVC], built-up roofing [BUR], ethylene propylene diene terpolymer [EPDM], spray polyurethane foam [SPF], etc.).  Also, Mr. Burle has completed engagements in the field of premises liability which includes the inspection and evaluation of property and building components in and out of the means of egress such as ramps, handrails, parking lots, sidewalks, and floor surfaces for code compliance and/or slip resistance.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS:

• Civil Engineering, B.S.: Mississippi State University (2014)

• Civil Engineering, M.S.: Mississippi State University (2015)

• Registered Professional Engineer: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas

• Certified English XL Tribometrist

• Memberships: National Council of Structural Engineers Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers Association of Alabama, American Wood Council

CONTACT INFORMATION: