Rita Kirchhofer, PhD, PE, CWI has expertise in the evaluation of failure mechanisms, determining root cause(s) of failure, and applying these principles to failure analysis, integrity assessments, and performance of components, equipment, piping, and structures. Dr. Kirchhofer is experienced in the investigation and evaluation of structural components, gantries and cranes, chemical and power plant components, oil and gas transportation pipelines, process piping, pressure vessels, reactor vessels, power generation, electric transmission, construction materials, and transportation/automotive. Her experience also involves reviewing and applying industry codes and standards (e.g., ASME, ASTM, API, EN, ISO) for pipelines, pressure vessels, and structures. In addition, she has worked in product development and liability, design of experiments, and reliability improvements through mitigation of failure modes.

Dr. Kirchhofer’s focus includes the mechanical behavior of materials (strength, fracture, and fatigue), fractography, materials structure-property relationships, corrosion performance, materials testing as applied to material selection, and materials characterization. She also has extensive knowledge of materials systems that encompass ferrous alloys, stainless steels, superalloys, non-ferrous alloys, and ceramic materials. Dr. Kirchhofer applies this knowledge to assess material performance in various service conditions and to understand and optimize the material processing-performance relationship.

Prior to joining Secretariat Dr. Kirchhofer held positions at other international engineering and consulting firms, helping clients solve challenging multi-disciplinary engineering problems and providing evidence as an expert witness. Dr. Kirchhofer received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and M.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. In addition, Dr. Kirchhofer is a licensed Professional Engineer in the field of Metallurgical Engineering in various states. She is also a Certified Welding Inspector by the American Welding Society (AWS).