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Forensic Analysis of Glass

This document discusses the forensic analysis of glass evidence. It begins by describing the composition and properties of glass. There are several types of glass including soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, tempered glass, and leaded glass. Glass can be analyzed through fracture matching, determining the sequence of fractures, examining the direction of force, and analyzing class characteristics such as density, refractive index, and chemical composition. Proper analysis of glass evidence can help reconstruct criminal events and link glass fragments to potential crime scenes.

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Abrea Abella
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501 views17 pages

Forensic Analysis of Glass

This document discusses the forensic analysis of glass evidence. It begins by describing the composition and properties of glass. There are several types of glass including soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, tempered glass, and leaded glass. Glass can be analyzed through fracture matching, determining the sequence of fractures, examining the direction of force, and analyzing class characteristics such as density, refractive index, and chemical composition. Proper analysis of glass evidence can help reconstruct criminal events and link glass fragments to potential crime scenes.

Uploaded by

Abrea Abella
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Forensic Analysis of Glass

Kathy Mirakovits
Forensic Science Educational Consulting, LLC

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Glass
An amorphous solid
In pure form is made up of silicon
and oxygen molecules:
Silicon Dioxide- SiO2
High melting point - over 2000 0C
Hard & brittle like a solid

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Types of Glass
Float glass or soda lime glasswindows, picture frames, flat
glass objects
SiO2 with sodium carbonate
(Na2CO3 and calcium oxide CaO)

Tempered glass- safety glass,


auto glass, shower doors and
plate glass windows in store
Same chemical makeup as soda
lime glass, but top layer is cooled
first causing internal stresses.
When broken this glass fractures
into small blunt pieces.
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Types of Glass
Borosilicate glass- lab
glassware, kitchen items
(Pyrex)
SiO2 with Boron

Tinted glass- has colorants that


reduce glare / heat penetration
or for decorative use
SiO2 with additives/colorants

Leaded glass (crystal)- wine


glasses, fine dining, figurines
SiO2 with lead oxide

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Glass as Forensic Evidence


Glass is forensically important
It is found at most crime scenes
It can be carried away from scene
undetected
It is stable, does not decay
As class evidence contributes to the pool of
evidence

Important to collect proper known


samples so incidental glass can be
eliminated
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Fracture Match
Glass generally class evidence, except when a
fracture match is found, which is considered to
be an individual characteristic
Microscopic characteristics can assist in
making decision about suspected match
Random stress patterns and breaks are
unique

Reassembled
Molotov Cocktail

The vertical white lines


are stress marks in two
eyeglass lenses. Notice
how the stress marks
align, an individual
characteristic.
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Analyzing Broken Glass


Broken glass analysis is forensically important to
the reconstruction of events in a criminal act
Analysis can include:
The sequence of the fractures order of events
The direction of the force which caused the fracture
did the break occur from the inside or outside
The identity (type) of a small piece of glass soda
lime glass, borosilicate, tempered, or lead crystal

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Sequencing Fractures
Fracture lines: Radial and Concentric
Radial fracture lines occur first extending outward from the break
point, produced when the opposite side of impact fails first
Concentric fracture lines form a circle about the break point and
are produced by the side of impact failing first

Concentric
Fractures

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Radial
Fractures

Sequencing Fractures
Radial lines always end in existing radial lines
Order in photo: A then B then C

B
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

C
9

What Are The


Possible Fracture Sequences?
It can be noted:
B was first

C was after E
E was after A
D was after B
Possible Sequences:
B, D, A, E, C
B, A, D, E, C

B, A, E, D, C
B, A, E, C, D

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

10

Direction of Force
Small projectiles entry-exit
Entry: smaller hole, smooth
surface
Exit: wider hole, crater
shape, rough surface
cratering

Radial fractures indicate


direction of force
3R Rule:
Radial fracture
Right angle
Reverse side of force
Force came from this side

Entry
Hole

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

Exit
Hole

Right Angle side

11

Class Characteristic of Glass


Class characteristics of glass are limited because glass
is so inertdifficult to dissolve in solvents
Exception is the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometer (ICP/MS)digests glass and performs
elemental analysis to determine chemical composition
ICP/MS in few crime labs
Most labs can analyze class characteristics:

Physical appearance size, shape, thickness


Color
Density
Refractive index

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

12

Measuring The Density


Of A Small Piece of Glass
1.
2.

3.

Mass the piece of glass.


Find Volume of glass.
a. Tare beaker with water.
b. Tie thread around glass.
c. SUSPEND the glass in water.
d. Take mass reading.
e. Mass of water displaced =
Volume of water displaced =
Volume of piece of glass.
Calculate density of the glass.

Window Glass 2.53-2.54 g/ml


Pyrex Glass
2.29-2.39 g/ml
Leaded Glass 2.65-2.72 g/ml
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

13

Refractive Index
Refractive Index (RI) is the ratio of the velocity of light in a
vacuum to its velocity in a medium
c = 3 x 108 m/s
Equation:
RI = c/vmedium
As light passes from one medium to a different medium,
it changes speed, causing it to bend or refract

The straw
appears
bent due to
refraction
of light

Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

14

Refractive Index Determination of a


Small Glass Fragment
Refractive index of small pieces of glass can be
determined using commercially available liquids whose
refractive indexes are known

Photo A shows a small piece of Pyrex glass not immersed in a liquid.


Photo B shows the same piece of glass immersed in water.
Photo C shows the piece immersed in vegetable oil. Pyrex and vegetable oil have
similar indices of refraction as shown by the disappearance of the glass in the oil.
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

15

Refractive Index Determination


of a Small Glass Fragment
Glass Type
Window Glass (soda lime)
Pyrex
Tempered Glass (auto)
Leaded Glass (29%-55%)
Liquid Medium
Water
Vegetable Oil
Clove Oil
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

RI
1.51
1.47
1.52
1.57-1.67
RI
1.33
1.47
1.53
16

Measure the RI of Comparison Liquids


Use plastic dishes filled with liquid
to be tested
Laser light or light box single
beam through liquid at a given
angle (300).
Trace refracted beam.
Calculate RI using Snells Law

n1 = n2(sin 2) / sin 1
Kathy Mirakovits, FSEC

n2 = 1.00 (air)
17

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