Forensic Biomechanics

Jules Kieser Director, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New ZealandMichael Taylor Science Leader, Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), Christchurch Science Centre, New ZealandDebra Carr Impact and Armour Group, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, Cranfield Defence and Security, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

“Forensic Biomechanics, although only 164 pages in length, succeeds in providing the reader a basic understanding of the biomechanical principles central to several pertinent areas of forensic biology. . . . It provides an excellent view of the areas that should be mastered in order for those new to this field to claim it as their own.”  (Journal of Forensic Sciences, 8 January 2014)

• Series Foreword ix Acknowledgements xi1 Introduction 1Jules Kieser2 Basic principles of biomechanics 7Jules Kieser2.1 Forces and motion 92.2 Stress and strain 122.3 Basics of biomechanical behaviour 172.4 Biomaterials and viscoelasticity 212.5 Acceleration and impact 252.6 Fracture behaviour 262.7 Ballistic biomechanics 293 Biomechanics of bone and bony trauma 35Jules Kieser3.1 Composition of bone 373.2 Types of bone 383.3 Biomechanical properties of bone 393.4 Compressive and tensile fracture patterns 453.5 Blunt and sharp force trauma 503.6 Ballistic trauma 543.7 Living versus postmortem fracture 623.8 Bone fracture in infants 644 Biomechanics of skin and soft tissue trauma 71Jules Kieser4.1 Structure of skin 734.2 Mechanical properties of skin 754.3 Effect of age 784.4 Wounding 804.5 Sharp force trauma 814.6 Blunt force trauma 854.7 Ballistic trauma 884.8 Bitemarks 925 The mechanics of bloodstain pattern formation 99Mark Jermy and Michael Taylor5.1 Introduction to bloodstain pattern analysis 1015.2 Forces acting on fluids 1045.3 Dimensionless numbers 1145.4 Fluid properties of blood 1165.5 The creation of droplets 1185.6 Droplet flight 1265.7 Droplet impact: bloodstain formation 1286 Fibres and textiles 137Debra Carr6.1 Introduction 1396.2 Fabric layers 1436.3 Fabric degradation 1446.4 Ballistic impacts 1446.5 Sharp impacts 1466.6 Blunt impacts 1496.7 Tearing 151Acknowledgements 153Index 159