Monday 6th December 2010, 3:00 - 5:00pm
Abstract
Forensic engineering is used to identify the root cause of engineering failures and is often defined as the investigation of materials, products, structures or components that have either failed or do not operate or function as intended. “Forensic” strictly implies a legal aspect to the investigation but the term is often used more loosely to cover a range of investigations that do not lead to legal proceedings. However, forensic engineers also contribute their expertise to apply the use of engineering processes and principles to determination of the root cause of injuries in the field of forensic pathology. Forensic engineers in this discipline interact in a multidisciplinary way with forensic pathologists, if the death is recent, or forensic anthropologists if only the bones are available for examination. This lecture discusses the court system in England and Wales and the legal context for the use of expert testimony and illustrates with a number of case studies where engineering principles can be used to help in cases involving blunt force trauma, sharp force trauma, cause of death and identification of tool marks.
Key Words
Forensic, knives, stabbing, toolmarks, engineering
Presentation Slides
