An innovative way to use 3D modeling on burnt bone to differentiate heat fractures from blunt and sharp force trauma

Abstract

Assessments of blunt and sharp force trauma in forensic research are frequently reliant on research with individual long bones. As a result, information on the interpretation of the trauma on irregular bones is limited in unburned bones and an even bigger discrepancy is found if the fracture relates to blunt/sharp force in cremated bone. This research strives to differentiate between traumatic fractures and heat fractures in flat and irregular bones. Five human calottes and five human hemipelves were exposed to either blunt or sharp force trauma and then all were incompletely cremated. One hundred and eighty fractures, representing a mixture of traumatic and heat fractures, were captured using a Keyence VHX‐2000 digital microscope and analysis was done in combination with 3D software, Geomagic Studio 2014 and Geomagic Design X (2016). With virtual reconstructions and reverse engineering facilitated by the software, we were able to discern fracture boundaries, slopes, and variances between fracture types. 3D representation provided the ability to differentiate peri‐mortem trauma from heat fractures based on curvature analysis of fracture walls. Evidence of trauma types (blunt versus sharp) were found to be distinguishable at their impact site based on this curvature examination; however, shallow, secondary or tertiary trauma fractures were difficult to discern from heat fractures. Blunt force trauma impact sites and sharp force trauma impact sites were easily identifiable; secondary trauma fractures were sometimes clearly noted but may be misinterpreted. Overall, deep trauma fractures and heat fractures can be discerned from one another using this technology.This article is categorized under: Forensic Anthropology > Taphonomic Changes and the Environment Forensic Anthropology > Trauma Analysis Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Fire Debris Analysis