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A “Toolbox” for Forensic Engineers

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84 <strong>Forensic</strong> Materials Engineering: Case Studies<br />

Normal Service Conditions<br />

Applied <strong>for</strong>ces cause elastic de<strong>for</strong>mations only.<br />

Clamps stay tight.<br />

No fracture or perminent de<strong>for</strong>mation.<br />

Damaging <strong>for</strong>ces pull axle away from<br />

tubular frame, or vice versa.<br />

Clamps pulled.<br />

Fracture starts at top braze.<br />

Damaging <strong>for</strong>ces push axle closer to<br />

tubular frame, or vice versa.<br />

Clamps pushed.<br />

Fracture starts at bottom braze.<br />

FIGURE 3.19 Upper portion of the rear clamp, as in Figure 3.18, but drawn to<br />

show extensive de<strong>for</strong>mation caused by compressive loads acting through brackets.<br />

transmitted. Whenever and however the axle became bent the hub mounting<br />

must have been strong enough to react to and transmit the applied<br />

<strong>for</strong>ce to the chassis.<br />

The final capitulation by the plaintiff’s expert was when analysis of the<br />

video, frame by frame, revealed the wheel to be in its normal position and<br />

alignment on the sidecar chassis during most of the somersault, after the<br />

machine had struck the rider’s prostrate body. One of the last frames showed<br />

the sidecar wheel violently striking the ground at the end of the somersaulting,<br />

after which the wheel appeared to be thrown outward almost horizontally,<br />

clearly establishing that this was when the damage was done.

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