Beer bottles are often used in physical disputes. If the bottles break, they may give rise to sharp trauma. However, if the bottles remain intact, they may cause blunt injuries. In order to investigate whether full or empty standard half-litre beer bottles are sturdier and if the necessary breaking energy surpasses the minimum fracture-threshold of the human skull, we tested the fracture properties of such beer bottles in a drop-tower. Full bottles broke at 30J impact energy, empty bottles at 40J. These breaking energies surpass the minimum fracture-threshold of the human neurocranium. Beer bottles may, therefore, fracture the human skull and therefore serve as dangerous instruments in a physical dispute.
Origin
Unknown
Journal Title
J Forensic And Legal Medicine 16 3 2009 138-142
Sector
Container glass
Class
C 4726