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Slip and tilt: modeling falls over railings
H Muggenthaler1, M Hubig2, A Meierhofer3
1Institute of Legal Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany. holger.muggenthaler@med.uni-jena.de.
Abstract:
Falls over railings are frequent case scenarios forensic experts are confronted with. An important issue is the differentiation of accidental and non-accidental falling scenarios. From a biomechanical point of view, this is a challenging task and should be addressed in a multifactorial approach. This work presents a simplified mechanical model in terms of a cranked rod that can be used in cases without relevant dynamic components in terms of pushing or jumping. If the anti-slip and the anti-tilt condition are violated, the possibility for a person to get over a railing should be assumed and investigated in more detail. Because our approach also involves uncertainties, the formulae should be understood to be part of a multifactorial approach. Numerical simulation, experimental reconstruction, injury pattern, and trace analysis can yield additional substantial connecting facts.
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