Viscoelasticity
Definition
Skin's combined elastic (spring-back) and viscous (flow) behavior under stress. Because skin is viscoelastic, it deforms under biting pressure in ways that do not faithfully preserve tooth geometry, and the degree of distortion varies with bite force, location on the body, and the victim's age and hydration.
Related terms
- Class Characteristics
- Features deliberately or systematically imparted to a group of items by design or manufacture, such as the calibre of a bullet, the...
- Contusion
- Bruising without a break in the skin surface. Many bite marks present as contusion patterns: paired arches of discolouration with no laceration....
- Dental Arch
- The curved row of teeth in the upper (maxillary) or lower (mandibular) jaw. The shape and width of each arch is partly...
- Individual Characteristics
- Surface features on a fired bullet or cartridge case that arise from random or unique events (tool wear, corrosion, service damage) and...
- Petechial Haemorrhage
- Tiny pinpoint bleeds within the skin, sometimes visible inside the bite circle as a result of suction. Their presence can help confirm...
Explained in
- Bite Mark Analysis: Anatomy, Mechanism and PatternsSkin's combined elastic (spring-back) and viscous (flow) behavior under stress. Because skin is viscoelastic, it deforms under biting pressure in ways that do...