A study considering the force required for broken glass bottles to penetrate a skin simulant

Abstract

Injuries and assaults related to alcohol consumption are a growing concern in many countries. In such cases, the use of impulsive weapons, an object from the immediate environment, such as a glass bottle, is not uncommon. This current study utilises a material testing system to measure the force required to push a broken glass bottle into a skin simulant with the displacement of the bottle into the skin simulant being recorded simultaneously, using a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT). From this data, load versus displacement plots were produced. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) was also used to analyse bottle wall thickness to determine if a relationship could be found between force required for penetration and bottle wall thickness. The forces required for the penetration of the skin simulant ranged from 9.8 to 56.7 N. The range was found to be independent of bottle type with the variation in force for penetration being attributed to the varying fracture points, with some fractures presenting a sharper point on first contact with the skin. Although the dangers associated with the use of broken bottles as weapons is apparent, there is a paucity of information in this area in the current English literature, which this study has addressed. The results of this study also highlight the risks of attempting reconstructions of broken bottle stab events.

Forces Required for a Knife to Penetrate a Variety of Clothing Types

“…The silicone rubber used consisted of two parts mixed in a 1:10 ratio. A total of 150 g of the base (part B, transil 40) was mixed with 15 g of catalyst/curing agent (part A, transil 55) for between 3 and 5 min (Mouldlife, Newmarket, England) . The mixture was then poured into a specially designed mold and spread out evenly to make a thin uniform layer .…”

“…A total of 150 g of the base (part B, transil 40) was mixed with 15 g of catalyst/curing agent (part A, transil 55) for between 3 and 5 min (Mouldlife, Newmarket, England) . The mixture was then poured into a specially designed mold and spread out evenly to make a thin uniform layer . A piece of polyether foam was then placed on top of the mold before the final set to create a good bond between the skin and foam and left to set for 24 h .…”

“…The mixture was then poured into a specially designed mold and spread out evenly to make a thin uniform layer . A piece of polyether foam was then placed on top of the mold before the final set to create a good bond between the skin and foam and left to set for 24 h .…”

“…Load and displacement of the knife into the skin simulant were continuously measured using a Material Testing System (MTS) (Hounsfield Test Equipment Ltd, Surrey, U.K.) . The experimental setup can be seen in Fig.…”

Alcimedes 18/8

“…6 Using a silicon skin substitute, the researchers from the University of Leicester were able to quantify the amount of force required to cause varying degrees of penetration to the human skin. The team has argued that this will potentially have major implications for assault cases.…”