A combined experimental and numerical study of stab-penetration forces

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Biomechanics
• Computational Modeling

Background:

• Estimating stabbing force is critical for medico-legal evaluations.
• Current methods for force estimation are often subjective.
• Objective quantification of stabbing force is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a quantitative measure for stabbing force.
• To combine experimental and numerical techniques for force analysis.
• To create a predictive model for stab force estimation.

Main Methods:

• Conducted stab-penetration tests on biological tissue.
• Quantified forces for blade penetration at various speeds.
• Developed a computational model using ABAQUS/EXPLICIT finite element analysis (FEA).
• Incorporated element deletion and failure criteria in the FEA model.

Main Results:

• The FEA model can systematically quantify variables affecting stab events.
• Experimental data provided force measurements for skin penetration.
• A combined approach offers a robust method for force analysis.

Conclusions:

• This study presents a novel approach to quantifying stabbing force.
• The developed model can aid in determining the force used in stabbing incidents.
• Further development could lead to a predictive tool for forensic pathology.