Technical root cause analysis
Bringing clarity to complex situations
Identify and troubleshoot technical failures at their root cause and gain clear recommendations – enabling informed decisions, reduced risk and a safe return to operations.
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Technical root cause analysis
When failures occur, it is not always clear what caused the issue, what action is needed, or how to prevent recurrence. The complex interactions between structures, materials, and systems, such as rotating machinery, propulsion and control systems, mean the root causes are often not readily apparent.
In many cases, time pressures, limited resources, fragmented information, and differing perspectives add additional challenges, making investigations harder than they need to be.
Without a well-structured approach, this can lead to delays, uncertainty, and unnecessary costs.
DNV’s technical root cause analysis (RCA) service provides an independent, evidence-based view of what happened and why.
By combining multidisciplinary expertise with advanced measurement and analysis techniques, like vibration analysis, material assessment, or hydrodynamic evaluations, we support you in making informed decisions, managing failures, and returning to operation with confidence.
Key benefits
Get the right expertise, when and where it is needed
- Access to a global, multidisciplinary network of experts across structural, mechanical and systems engineering
- Support across maritime, offshore, energy applications and other related industries
Gain clarity and alignment across stakeholders
- Build a shared, fact-based understanding of what happened and why
- Rely on a structured, evidence-based RCA methodology
- Alignment between internal teams and external parties
In-house materials laboratory
- DNV lab can conduct metallurgic analysis of damaged components, such as crankshafts, cams, valves, gear teeth, bearings and more
- Material findings feed directly into proposals for long-term solutions
Achieve cost and risk-conscious outcomes
- Transparent and verifiable findings
- Avoid unnecessary repairs, delays or disputes
- Improve safety, reduce risk, and prevent recurrence
FAQs
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The service supports anyone involved in technical incidents, including operators, technical teams, equipment manufacturers, insurers, yards and the responsible management.
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Maritime, rail, aerospace, and heavy industries of all types.
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The service covers failures across a wide range of systems and components, including rotating machinery and propulsion systems (e.g. combustion engines, turbo machinery, shafts, couplings, gear transmissions, bearings, stern tubes, propellers, electric motors, generators and pumps), batteries, fuel cells, hybrid systems, control- and system engineering, and material technology.
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The analysis is supported by a broad range of in-house expertise, including fracture mechanics, fatigue and dynamics, vibration analysis, material technology, electrical and control systems, and hydrodynamic modelling using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
Related resources
Benefit cases
Explore real cases of technical failures – highlighting challenges, solutions and impacts.
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