title: The use of micro computed tomography to ascertain the morphology of bloodstains on fabric.
abstract: Very little is known about the interactions of blood and fabric and how bloodstains on fabric are formed. Whereas the blood stain size for non-absorbent surfaces depends on impact velocity, previous work has suggested that for fabrics the blood stain size is independent of impact velocity when the drop size is kept constant. Therefore, a greater understanding of the interaction of blood and fabric is required. This paper explores the possibility of using a micro computed tomography (CT) scanner to study bloodstain size and shape throughout fabrics. Two different fabrics were used: 100% cotton rib knit and 100% cotton bull drill. Bloodstains were created by dropping blood droplets from three heights; 500 mm, 1000 mm and 1500 mm. Results from the CT scanner clearly showed the bloodstain shape throughout the fabric. The blood was found to form a diamond shaped stain, with the maximum cross-sectional area 0.3-0.5mm below the surface. The bloodstain morphology depended on both the impact velocity and fabric structure.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Defence Engineering, Cranfield University at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, SN6 8LA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dicken
authors.affiliation: Centre for Defence Engineering, Cranfield University at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, SN6 8LA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: c.knock@cranfield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knock
authors.affiliation: Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, SN6 8LA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beckett
authors.affiliation: Sir John Walsh Research Institute, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.affiliation: LGC Forensics, Culham, Oxfordshire, OX14 3ED, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nickson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Defence Engineering, Cranfield University at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, SN6 8LA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D001801:Blood Stains; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013784:Textiles; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
keywords: Absorbent surfaces; Wetting; Wicking