Dave Amori

PhD, PE, RRC

Director of Engineering

Biography

Dave Amori is a highly experienced engineer with over 30 years of expertise in Civil, Structural, and Geotechnical Engineering. He also specializes in Building Envelope Consulting and Construction Management for both heavy civil and vertical projects. For the past 20 years, Dave has focused on construction litigation and forensic investigations, providing expert insight into building structures, geotechnical challenges, construction defects, design flaws, standard of care, and building envelope issues. With extensive domestic and international experience—including time spent living and working in South America—Dave brings a global perspective to his work. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in multiple states and a Registered Roof Consultant.

Credentials

  • PhD
  • PE | Professional Engineer
  • RRC | Registered Roof Consultant
  • FAA Certified Drone Pilot
  • Certified Infrared Thermographer (Level I)
  • Texas Department of Insurance Qualified Inspector
  • Private Pilot (FAA Part 61 ASEL/Inurement)

Representative Consulting Assignments

  • Commercial/Residential | Construction Defect Litigation Support | Provided investigation and opined on construction defects, design errors and omissions, construction vibration assessments, foundation evaluations, building envelope performance, and standard of care for hundreds of cases. Provided expert witness testimony in Deposition, Trial, and Arbitration.
  • Commercial/Residential | Forensic Structural/Geotechnical | Windstorm and surge related assessments for dozens of hurricanes in the US Gulf Coast, New York, and Caribbean. Conducted hundreds of foundation assessments and structural failures to determine root cause of observed distress and provided repair recommendations.
  • Commercial/Residential | Roof/Building Envelope Evaluation | Conducted thousands of storm-related roof assessments to determine root cause of observed distress and provided repair recommendations. Inspected, analyzed, and provided retrofit design documents for building envelope (roof replacement, window/façade retrofit, veneer repairs).
  • Casino/Hotel | Forensic Structural | Investigated, analyzed, and provided expert opinions on the cause and origin of the collapse of a 17-story hotel and casino under construction.
  • Tilt-Up Wall Warehouse | Forensic Structural | Investigated, analyzed, and opined regarding the cause and origin of a concrete tilt-up wall warehouse collapse after a wind event.
  • Hydroelectric | Forensic Geotechnical/Structural | Investigated, analyzed, and opined regarding the cause and origin of damage to a conventionally reinforced concrete liner of a 400 ft tall, 150 ft diameter water intake shaft associated with a hydroelectric plant.
  • High-Rise Building | Forensic Geotechnical/Structural | Investigation of the cause of differential settlement of a 30+ story post-tension concrete multi-family residential building and attached 4-story parking structure.

Professional Experience

  • 2025 - Current | Director of Engineering | YA Group
  • 2024 - 2025 | Vice President, Engineering/Corporate Advisor | MC Consultants, Inc.
  • 2006 - 2024 | Vice President, Engineering | EFI Global, Inc.
  • 2006 - 2013 | Senior District Manager | EFI Global, Inc.
  • 2003 - 2006 | Branch Manager | Professional Service Industries
  • 2002 - 2003 | Senior Consultant | Brown Engineering
  • 2001 - 2002 | Project Manager | RC Heath Construction Company
  • 1999 - 2001 | Project Manager | The Neenan Co.
  • 1991 - 1998 | Staff Engineer | Knight Piésold

Area of Practice

  • Building Code Upgrade Review
  • Builder's Risk 
  • Damage Assessment
  • Construction Defect Reviews 
  • Building Envelope
  • Condition Assessment
  • Construction Administration
  • Damage Assessment
  • Earthquake Engineering
  • Failure Analysis

Publications and Presentations

  • November 2024 - Post-Fire Structural Assessment Considerations of Buildings and Parking Structures, D. Amori and E. Lalli, ASCE Forensics Conference, November 2024
  • June 2024 - Seismic Performance of Power Actuated Fasteners in Light and Normal-Weight Concrete, A. Schultz, D. Amori, S. Overacker, P. Grzesik, C. Gill, World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, June 2024
  • December 2022 - Performance of Power Actuated Fastener Connections for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Elements, Schultz, Overacker, Amori, and Grzesik, Fifth International Workshop on the Seismic Performance of Non-Structural Elements, December 2022
  • January 2022 - Eulerian-Lagrangian Simulation of Wave Impact on Coastal Bridges, Majlesi, Nasouri, Amori, A. Montoya, A. Du & A. Matamoros, January 2022
  • 2021 - Explicit Finite Element Analysis of Coastal Bridges Under Extreme Hurricane Waves, Majlesi, Nasouri, Shahriar, Amori, Montoya, Du, Matamoros, ASCE Tran-Set 2021

Education

  • University of Texas at San Antonio - PhD - Civil Engineering (Emphasis Building Structures) - San Antonio - Texas
  • Missouri University of Science and Technology - Master of Science - Civil Engineering (Emphasis Building Structures) - Rolla - Missouri
  • University of Birmingham - Master of Science - Construction Management - Birmingham, UK
  • University of Colorado - Bachelor of Science - Civil Engineering - Denver - Colorado

Affiliations

  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC)
  • Seismic Performance of Non-Structural Elements (SPONSE)

Licenses

  • 82229 - Arizona - Civil Engineer
  • 97206 - California - Civil Engineer
  • 35124 - Colorado - Professional Engineer
  • 77844 - Florida - Professional Engineer
  • 32976 - Louisiana - Civil Engineer
  • 6​2​0​1​0​6​7​8​1​8 - Michigan - Professional Engineer
  • 55830 - Massachusetts - Civil Engineer
  • 23945 - Nevada - Civil Engineer
  • 92046 - New York - Professional Engineer
  • 26644 - Oklahoma - Professional Engineer
  • 90564 - Texas - Professional Engineer
  • 14193371-2202 - Utah - Professional Engineer