Experimental sharp force injuries to ribs: Multimodal morphological and geometric morphometric analyses using...

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Anthropology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Tool mark analysis on bone is crucial for identifying weapons in forensic investigations.
• Geometric morphometrics has not been extensively applied to analyze knife marks on fleshed bone.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the application of geometric morphometrics for analyzing knife-induced lesions on fleshed bones.
• To determine if specific knife blade characteristics can be identified from bone injuries.

Main Methods:

• Experimental stab/cut injuries were inflicted on pig ribs using twelve knives and a drop weight tower.
• Lesion morphology was recorded using micro-computed tomography (μCT), macro photography, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Data were analyzed using Amira, tps, and Morpheus software for morphometric analysis.

Main Results:

• Blade thickness was accurately determined from kerf mark measurements (±0.35mm deviation), enabling matching of injuries to specific knives.
• Micro-CT (μCT) proved to be the most accurate and efficient non-destructive imaging technique.
• The tps software was optimal for characterizing blade and kerf shapes.

Conclusions:

• Geometric morphometrics is a viable tool for forensic analysis of kerf marks on bones.
• μCT offers significant advantages for non-destructive documentation of injuries on fleshed bone.
• Accurate blade thickness determination aids in weapon identification.