The experimental and numerical study of indirect effect of a rifle bullet on the bone

Forensic Sci Int. 2015 Dec:257:473-480. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.10.032. Epub 2015 Nov 10.

Abstract

We study the transient indirect effect of a rifle bullet on bone in the gelatin-bone composite target experimentally and computationally. The process of a 56 type 7.62-mm rifle bullet penetrating the composite target has been simulated using numerical method. The experiment provided the criteria for verifying the correctness of the numerical model. We have obtained tomographic data of bone by CT scans, and also defined the bone as different layers by the gray scale to simulate its heterogeneity. The computed results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Effects of the impact velocity and bone location on damage caused to the composite target have also been studied. The numerical results imply the follows: When the velocity of bullet increases, the stress on bone also increases with the earlier pressure peak; When the bone is located in a certain distance from the trajectory, it will not be fractured, although it is affected by the stress wave.

Keywords: Composite target; Heterogeneous of bone; Indirect effect; Numerical simulation; Penetration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / diagnostic imaging*
  • Bone and Bones / injuries
  • Bone and Bones / pathology
  • Finite Element Analysis*
  • Forensic Ballistics
  • Fractures, Bone / diagnostic imaging*
  • Fractures, Bone / etiology
  • Fractures, Bone / pathology
  • Gelatin
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Models, Animal
  • Models, Biological
  • Radiography
  • Swine
  • Wounds, Gunshot / diagnostic imaging*
  • Wounds, Gunshot / pathology

Substances

  • Gelatin