Publications & Abstracts
The experts at Knott Laboratory have been published in many engineering journals.
While most of these essays are quite detailed, these short abstracts express a summary of the overall papers that were published. Additionally, we've compiled our complete list of publications and abstracts for your convenience; some of which were featured in print or have not been made available online by the publishers.
Application of Matchmoving for Forensic Video Analysis with Recorded Event Data
This paper presents the process of “matchmoving” in a case where a pedestrian was struck by a train at a station in a major U.S. city.
Current Assessment of Stand-Up Forklifts’ Underride Accidents
This paper presents physical testing and analysis of one major forklift manufacturer’s accident database records, which show rear-mounted…
Methodology for Assessing the Thermal Effects of a Wildfire on a Structure
This paper discusses a creative approach on a wildfire investigation and breaks down the methodology used for assessing thermal effects on…
Foundation Damage Assessments and Structural Repairs
This paper discusses several means of foundation failures as well as “best-practices” & considerations for evaluating and determining the…
The Applications of Matchmoving for Forensic Video Analysis of a Fatal Sprint Car Accident: Part I
The methodology used for the reconstruction of a high-profile Sprint Car accident that was captured by at least three different video…
The Applications of Matchmoving for Forensic Video Analysis of a Fatal Sprint Car Accident: Part II
This paper presents the application of the photogrammetric process known as matchmoving to analyze a racetrack video and reconstruction of…
Engineering A Pool Ladder To Prevent Drownings In Above-Ground Pools
This paper addresses, hazard and risk assessment, passive safety systems that can be added to pool ladders to prevent drowning incidences.
Hail Impact Testing of Masonite Shingles
This paper reports on Woodruff shingle field observations after hail events, and hail impact testing performed on aged Woodruff shingles in…
Assessing Wind-Damaged Masonite Shingles
This paper reports on destructive testing performed on 17 year old masonite ridge-cap shingles.
Boom Lift Operator Protection From Stored Energy Hazards
Several known hazards exist with boom lifts such as falls, machine tipping, crushes, collapse of machine and electrocution.
Newest Technologies Utilized in the Reconstruction of an Officer Involved Shooting Incident
This paper presents a case study which utilized many of the latest forensic technologies to reconstruct the events that occurred during an…
Forensic Engineering Evaluation and Testing of Horizontal Intrusion Protection Equipment for Stand-Up Forklifts
In 2004, a report issued by the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) evaluated a fatal standup forklift accident…
Advanced Forensic Engineering Analysis of a School Bus/Tractor Trailer Crash
This paper presents advanced techniques used to reconstruct a motor vehicle accident involving a fully loaded semi and school bus with…
Forensic Engineering Investigation of Above-ground Pool Submersion Accidents
Approximately 35 children under the age of 5 years old access above-ground pools via a ladder and drown each year in the United States.…
Forensic Engineering Investigation of Workplace Incidents Involving Machinery
On many occasions, a forensic engineer faces numerous questions when investigating workplace incidents involving machinery, such as: Why…
The Forensic Engineer in State and Federal Court
This paper outlines the legal system in the United States, the different types of courts, the differences between criminal and civil law,…
Forensic Engineering Usage of Surveillance Video in Accident Reconstruction
With the increased use of surveillance cameras, more and more video footage depicting accidents is available these days, for accident…
Stand-Up Forklift Egress Times as a Function of Operator Compartment Guarding
A significant hazard related to the use of stand-up lift trucks, or stand-up forklifts, is the hazard of a lower limb crush injury or foot…
Who Can Be a Forensic Expert?
Many professionals, including engineers, are interested to know what it takes to be an expert witness and who can be one. Experts in the…
Falling Cargo: Is the Driver or Shipper Liable?
This article focuses on driver and shipper involvement in transportation. Cargo Securement is a serious issue. Improper securement of cargo…
The Nuts and Bolts of Cargo Loading and Securement Cases
Seven percent of serious trucking accidents nationwide are reported to have been caused, at least in part, by cargo shifting or cargo…
Trucking Accidents and Regulations
Semi tractor-trailers are different than passenger vehicles: They are up to 75 feet long and weigh up to 80,000 lbs. when fully loaded,…
Forensic Engineering Investigation of Incidents Involving Corded Window Coverings
It has been recognized for many years that young children have been involved in incidents, including strangulation, with the cords…
Newest Trends in Accident Reconstruction
As someone with strong experience in court, I would like to provide some insight into the best practices that I have learned and observed…
Forensic Engineering Analysis of Trucking Accidents and Regulations
This paper discusses heavy trucking accidents, their causations, applicable state and federal regulations and the newest available…
Fatigued Drivers and Consequences
National statistics show that fatigued drivers cause over 20 percent of trucking accidents. Such impaired drivers were the number one cause…
Danger! Falling Cargo, The Importance of Proper and Safe Securement of Your Load
Transportation of cargo is a keystone of any market economy and all cargo has to be properly secured for the trip. Materials and products…
Analysis Of The Hazards Of Wood Chipper Accidents
It is well known in the tree care industry that operators can become caught or snagged by material entering a wood chipper. The…
Stand-Up Forklift Acceleration
This paper will examine the accelerations present during the operation of stand-up forklifts. Forklifts, or powered industrial trucks, are…
Wind Effects on Dynamic Stability of Tractor Trailers in Winter Conditions
There is a limited amount of data in literature discussing dynamic instability of tractor trailers due to wind speed and wind gusts on…
Forensic Engineering Investigations of Product Liability Cases
Engineers are regularly retained to perform investigations to determine whether or not a product is defective and liable for injuries…
Hazard Analysis And Risk Assessment For The Operators of Stand-up Forklifts
Past studies have indicated that the greatest risk that a forklift operator faces is the hazard of an overturning forklift crushing the…
Forensic Engineering Assessment of Safety for Stand Up Forklifts
Forklifts operated from a stand up position rather than a seated position offer a significant advantage to increase warehouse capacity.…
Forensic Engineering Evaluation of Physical Evidence in Accident Reconstruction
Physical evidence deposited by vehicles as a result of an accident may not always be fully documented by the investigating law enforcement…
Limitations of the Possibility of Applying the Monte Carlo Simulation in Vehicle Accident Reconstruction
The Monte Carlo simulation has become a popular method for dealing with uncertainty within analyses.The popularity of the Monte Carlo…
A Method for Determining and Presenting Driver Visibility in Commercial Vehicles
Driver visibility from commercial vehicles is often an issue in post-accident litigation. While the visibility through the windows of most…
Considerations for Applying and Interpreting Monte Carlo Simulation Analyses in Accident Reconstruction
In reconstructing any accident, the reconstructionist must properly account for uncertainty in their analysis. One popular method of…
Forensic Engineering Use of Computer Animation and Graphics
During an accident reconstruction investigation, many complicated issues arise that must be presented to a judge or jury. Although the…
Crush and Conservation of Energy Analysis: Toward a Consistent Methodology
This paper clarifies the relationship between the absorbed crush energy and the dissipated crush energy and explores the use of each in…
An Examination of the CRASH3 Effective Mass Concept
This paper examines the validity of the effective mass concept used in the CRASH 3 damage analysis equations. In this study, the effective…
Reconstruction of a Motor Vehicle Accident involving a Police Shooting Using Photogrammetry and 3-D Computer Modeling
This paper presents methods used by Knott Laboratory to reconstruct a motor vehicle accident involved in a police shooting incident. The…
A New Polycarbonate and Glass Laminate and its Affects on the Relationship Between Residual Tensile Stresses and Impact Resistance of Windshields
Current windshield manufacturing processes produce residual tensile stresses near the edges of windshields. This residual tensile stress…
Forensic Engineering Techniques to Reconstruct Shooting Incidents
This paper discusses and evaluates the techniques and technology available to reconstruct shooting incidents. Reconstruction typically…
Using Digital Photogrammetry to Determine Crash Severity
This paper presents a new method of determining the severity of vehicular accidents using digital photogrammetry. A state-of-the-art…
Forensic Engineering Comparison of Two & Three Dimensional Photogrammetric Accident Analysis
One of the challenges for an accident reconstructionist is to create accurate scene diagrams from photographs. There are several software…
Using Digital Photogrammetry to Determine Vehicle Crush and Equivalent Barrier Speed (EBS)
This paper presents a method of determining a vehicle crush and equivalent barrier speed using digital photogrammetry. A state-of-the-art…
Automotive Airbags
In contrast to historical opposition to tougher federal safety standards, automakers are currently promoting safety features as a market…
Head Injury Prevention and Future Design Trends in the Automobile Industry
The most common type of injury seen in motor vehicle accidents is head trauma. The head is the most frequently injured body region for…
Head Injury Risk Assessment and Prevention in Automobile Accidents
This paper discusses testing methods, Federal Regulations and injury protection technology currently being developed regarding head injury…