Particle size analysis of soils under simulated scene of crime conditions: the interest of multivariate analyses

The preservation of quartz grain surface textures following vehicle fire and their use in forensic enquiry

“…Soil/sediment samples have been analysed and compared for forensic purposes by a number of methods including colour [11][12], organic content [13], biological characteristics [14][15][16], particle size analysis [17][18][19][20] and mineralogy [21]. However, the action of fire will have a profound influence on the viability of all these measurable characteristics of soil as significant modifications to these characteristics occur.…”

The use of grain size distribution analysis of sediments andsoils in forensic enquiry

“…More recently still, there have been a number of papers published on the application of particle size distribution analysis to the analysis of soil and sediment samples in forensic investigations ( [7] [8] [13] and [14]). These papers have generally all provided the results of experimental studies (using both laser granulometry and sieving techniques) and have demonstrated, in the first instance, that it is possible to distinguish between soil and sediment samples taken from distinct geological areas.…”

“…These papers have generally all provided the results of experimental studies (using both laser granulometry and sieving techniques) and have demonstrated, in the first instance, that it is possible to distinguish between soil and sediment samples taken from distinct geological areas. It is particularly interesting to note that when 'simple transfers' of soil from a source area onto an item of footwear are simulated under laboratory conditions, it has been discovered that both the particle size distribution of the source soil and the type of footwear can significantly affect the particle size distribution of the transferred soil sample subsequently taken from the shoe ( [13] and [14]). Chazottes et al [13] showed that if a source soil sample has a unimodal particle size distribution of siltsized particles, the particle size distribution of the transferred soil sample, taken from the footwear, was more similar to the particle size distribution of the source soil sample.…”

“…It is particularly interesting to note that when 'simple transfers' of soil from a source area onto an item of footwear are simulated under laboratory conditions, it has been discovered that both the particle size distribution of the source soil and the type of footwear can significantly affect the particle size distribution of the transferred soil sample subsequently taken from the shoe ( [13] and [14]). Chazottes et al [13] showed that if a source soil sample has a unimodal particle size distribution of siltsized particles, the particle size distribution of the transferred soil sample, taken from the footwear, was more similar to the particle size distribution of the source soil sample. If however, the source sample had a bi-modal particle size distribution rich in fine (clay-sized) and coarse (sand-sized) particles, the particle size distribution of the transferred soil was found to be significantly different to that of the source soil.…”

“…Pye [14] nor Chazottes et al [13] identified the implications of these findings to exclusion enquiries in forensic investigation ( [12] …”