I recently saw reference online to soft science and hard science. I was researching topics while also looking at titles of blogs I had posted in the past. My research was in the nature of an assessment of what more needs to be known about forensic engineering investigation and expert services.

The adjective “soft” in the reference troubled me and this not reflecting well on forensic work. Particularly a forensic investigation that had not been peer reviewed.

I found a lot of comment in the literature on what’s soft science as distinct from hard science. In the engineering spirit of trying to keep it simple I settled on the following:

• Hard science relies on math, physics and chemistry and has more control of the variables and conclusions in applying the scientific method
• Soft science relies on empirical data – originating in or based on observation or experience – and has less control of the variables and conclusions

If science can be soft and engineering is applied science can it be said there is soft and hard engineering? Would engineering relying on the Observational Method be an example of soft engineering? (Refs 1, 2 and 3)

Why do I think this is relevant? Because, to the uninformed soft engineering might not be seen as engineering. Does that mean soft science is not science? I don’t think so; check out the discussion at Wikipedia.

But, if nothing else, perceiving engineering as soft opens it up to hostile rebuttal review. That’s all the more reason for peer review particularly when a forensic engineering investigation is of a soft engineering failure.

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Examples of soft engineering:

• Investigation of the cause of a personal injury accident like slip and fall accidents
• Forensic engineering investigation of failures, particularly of structures in the natural environment – in and on the ground – compared to those in the built environment – above the ground
• Design of shoring for an excavation
• Design and construction of foundations, particularly on soft and loose soils
• Flood water protection
• Design and construction of stable cut slopes. (A cut slope is a slope in natural, undisturbed soil, like along the side of a highway)

References

1. One forensic observation does not a cause make Posted July 18, 2023
2. Observational Method: Example #1 Posted July 31, 2023
3. Observational Method: Example #2 Posted August 29, 2023

(Posted by Eric E. Jorden, M.Sc., P.Eng. Consulting Professional Engineer and Forensic Engineer, Geotechnology Ltd., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 28, 2024 ejorden@eastlink.ca)    

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