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Ethical Standards of Expert Evidence in Construction Forensics

건설 포렌식 전문가 증거 윤리기준에 관한 연구

Bon-Min Gu1*
,
In-Hwan Son2
,
Jongsub Lee3
구 본민1*
,
손 인환2
,
이 종섭3
1Member, School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea Univ. / President, Korea Construction Forensic Association
2Member, Dongil Engineering Co., Ltd.; Ph.D, Member, Korea Construction Forensic Association
3Member, Prof., School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea Univ.
1정회원, 고려대학교 건축사회환경공학부 / 사단법인 한국건설포렌식협회 회장
2정회원, ㈜ 동일기술공사 부사장 / 공학박사, 사단법인 한국건설포렌식협회
3정회원, 고려대학교 건축사회환경공학부 교수
*Corresponding Author
30 April 2026. pp. 125-134
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Abstract

This study seeks to develop a systematic framework for standardizing construction forensic engineering by examining the ethical standards required of construction forensic experts and comparing appraisal systems and standards for expert evidence. Expert opinions in construction disputes are crucial for judicial decision-making and demand a high level of ethical responsibility. However, previous research has highlighted ongoing issues, such as expert bias, lack of validation, and inconsistencies in analytical methodologies. This study reviews international standards and legal precedents, including the Daubert and Kumho rulings and the ASCE (2018) guidelines, to identify core ethical principles such as independence, objectivity, and verifiability. Building on these principles, this research proposes a structured institutional framework for implementing ethical standards in construction forensic practice. The findings may serve as a foundational study for developing an evidence reliability index evaluation system, using the analytic hierarchy process methodology to quantitatively assess the reliability of expert evidence based on the verifiability of engineering facts and analytical methods.

Keywords
Construction forensic engineering
Ethical standards
Evidence reliability index
Expert evidence
Forensic engineering ethics
Independence
Objectivity
Verifiability

본 연구는 건설 포렌식 전문가가 준수해야 할 윤리기준을 분석하여 감정제도 및 전문가 증거기준의 비교를 통해 건설포렌식의 표준화를 위한 체계적 정립 방안을 제시하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 건설 분쟁의 전문가 의견은 재판 결과에 직접적인 영향을 미치는 핵심 요소로 작용하며(Kardon, 2015; Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1993), 이에 따라 높은 수준의 윤리 기준이 요구된다. 그러나 기존 연구에서는 전문가 편향, 검증 부족, 분석 방법의 불일치와 같은 문제가 지속적으로 제기되고 있다(Terwel et al., 2018; Mnookin et al., 2011). 본 연구는 Daubert 및 Kumho 판례와 ASCE(2018)와 같은 국제 기준을 분석하여 독립성, 객관성 및 검증 가능성을 핵심 윤리 원칙으로 도출하고, 이를 제도적으로 적용하기 위한 체계적 방안을 제시하였다. 이러한 연구 결과는 향후 공학적 사실과 분석 방법의 검증 가능성을 기반으로 전문가 증거의 신뢰성을 정량적으로 평가하기 위한 분석적 계층 과정 방법론을 활용하여 ERI(Evidence Reliability Index) 평가 체계 구축을 위한 기초 연구로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

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2

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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Geotechnical Society
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국지반공학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국지반공학회 논문집
  • Volume : 42
  • No :2
  • Pages :125-134
  • Received Date : 2026-03-30
  • Accepted Date : 2026-04-08
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7843/kgs.2026.42.2.125
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