CHAPTER VI

SOIL ANALYSIS, FOOT AND TOOL IMPRESSION,

CASTING AND MOLDING
PETROGRAPHY – branch of geology that deals with the systematic classification and
identification of rocks, rock forming minerals and soil. Also includes study of dust, dirt, safe
insulation, ceramics and other such materials, both natural and artificial.

TYPES OF SOIL

1. Alluvial Soil – formed from soil particles that were washed, blown, or moved by
gravity to the lowlands. Earth, sand, gravel, etc. deposited by moving water.
2. Colluvial Soil – formed from decomposition of igneous, metamorphic and
sedimentary rocks, the decomposed particles moved by gravity.
3. Sedentary Soil – inactive, not migratory soil.

COLLECTION AND SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE

1. Soil usually in form of mud is usually recovered from shoes, slippers, clothes,
tires, tools and furniture.
2. If found on the above the soil should remain in place and the whole submitted to
the laboratory.
3. Should be wrapped in a clean paper or filter paper and placed in a box.
4. Known soil samples should be taken at different places around the point of
reference.

CONSTITUENTS OF SOIL

1. Primary Minerals – includes under composed rock fragments ranging from stone
down thru pebbles, sand and silt. Important minerals include quartz (silica), calcite
(limestone, CaCO3), feldspar (silicate of A1, Na, Ba, Ca, K) dolomite, mica.
2. Clay Mineral – a product of decomposition of primary minerals found in nearly all soils
and is the major constituents of heaviest soil. It imparts to soil cohesiveness and
plasticity and becomes hard and adherent on heating.
3. Organic constituents – one of the most variable of all soil constituents and is of
peculiar importance in the identification of soil.

ANALYSIS OF SOIL

There are several methods of petrography analysis that are being use in the
laboratories to establish the identity of two or more samples of soil. There is no procedure
that is specially recommended. It all depends on the availability of the apparatus. The
DENSITY

GRADIENT APPARATUS is a simple apparatus utilizing simple procedure in determining

the identity or non-identity of soil samples based on the density distribution. The
procedure is rapid, requiring a few hours of completion. It is sensitive to small changes in
composition.
OTHER METHODS OF ANALYSIS FOR SOIL

X-ray diffraction, spectrographic analysis and thermal analysis are methods

extensively used in commercial and private laboratories as general procedure.

APPLICATION OF SOIL ANALYSIS TO SCIENTIFIC CRIME DETECTION

The value of soil as evidence depends wholly upon the fact that soils differ in
various characteristics over the surface of the earth. This difference makes it possible to
establish the identity or non-identity of two soil samples.

DUST AND DIRT

Dust and Dirt – has been described as “matter in the wrong place”. The study of such
piece of evidence may often provide the investigator with clues as to the occupation or
previous whereabouts of a person under investigation.

Dust – matter which is dry and in finely divided form

Mud – dust mixed with water

Crime (heavy dirt) – when dust is mixed with the sweat and grease of the human body
this is formed.

COMPOSITION OF DUST

Whatever is the origin of dust and wherever it is found it always contain substances
of plant and animal origin and substances of mineral origin

CLASSIFICATION OF THE DUST

For purpose of criminal investigation, dust may well be classified from their source.

a. Dust Deposited from the Air − extremely fine dust particles present in the air
everywhere. More in thickly populated and industrial region. Settle very slowly and
ultimately deposited on any exposed surface. Its value in crime detection is significant.

b. Road and Footpath Dust − produced by the wear and tear of the road surface be
vehicular and pedestrian traffic together with particles of soil carried by the wind or rain
from adjoining regions.

c. Industrial Dust − Industries; like cement, button, powdered gypsum and plaster of
Paris factories, flour milling, paint pigment, involves industrial processes like grinding,
milling or beating for the purpose of producing finely powdered ultimate products which in
the process impart a pronounced local character to the dust on the neighboring roads and
buildings.

d. Occupation Dust − Some of the finely powdered material may be found on the clotting
and foot wears of employees engaged in such industries. Aside from this for example,
coal miner will have coal dust on his clothes, bricklayer will yield brick duct, sand and lime
on his clothes.

From the forensic chemical point of view, the identification of occupational dust
is of great importance. In criminal investigation, the identification of the person through
the articles of clothing left in the scene of crime or in a vehicle may place him in an
identifiable class and thus to distinguish from the great majority of other persons. Such
observation does not serve to distinguish the wearer of the cloth from all other persons.

COLLECTION AND SUBMISSION OF DUST AND DIRT SPECIMEN

1. Dust and dirt present in clotting or objects that can be readily transported should be
left in site. The whole article is packed in a clean box with proper protection and
hipped to the laboratory.

a. If the object is immovable or too big to submit as a specimen like sofa, piano,
dresses, the specimen maybe removed by mechanical means if present in large
quantity.

b. Dust on clotting maybe removed by the used of vacuum cleaner with paper bags
used in the dust sack to collect the dirt.

MOULAGE AND OTHER CASTING TECHNICS

Casting Material – is any material w/c can be changed from plastic or liquid state to the
solid condition is capable of use as casting material.

The following are the criteria on which the value of casting material is assessed.
1. Must be readily fluid or plastic when applied.
2. Must harder rapidly to a rigid mass
3. Must not be deformable nor shrink
4. Must be easy to apply
5. Must have no tendency to adhere to the impression
6. Should have of fine composition and surface
7. Should not inquire the impression
8. Should be easily obtainable
9. Should be cheap.

Claras - recommend the following formulas

1. Hastening – add one half teaspoonful of the table salt to the plaster.
2. Retarding – add one part of a saturated solution of borax to ten-part water to be used
in making the plaster.
3. Hardening – to give a cast a greater durability it can be place on a saturated solution
of sodium carbonate, and allowed to remain in the solution for some time. It is then
removed and dried.

TOOLS IMPRESSIONS MAY BE CLASSIFIED INTO TWO GENERAL CLASSES:

1. These produced by such instruments like an Axe-hammer, pliers and cutters which
touch the area only once in producing the impression.
a. Compression Marks – which produced by a single application of tool is the area of
contact, for example: the impression of a single blow of a hammer.

b. Friction Marks – which are series of scratches or striations produced by pushing a

tool across the surface such as those produced by cutters jimmy or axe.

2. Those produced by such instrument like saw or file which is applied in a repeated
strokes over the same area.
 Cost of Human Body it is important that the temperature of the negative
material should be below 110OF (43.3℃) a temperature higher than this will be
uncomfortable if not injurious to the subject.

CASTING MATERIALS

Wood’s Metal – used for small impressions as tool impression. It is a variety of solder
with melting point of 60 to 20°C. It is made of Bi-50; Pb-25; Sn-12.5; and Cd-
12.5

Drawback – tends to become coarsely crystalline in structure and all details

are lost.

1. Plastic Material – like plasticine and dental composition. Used for small impression.
Dental composition is the best casting material for making the cast of tool marks.

2. Drawback – distorts when removed from the impression since plastic and never fluid
and does not flow to the very interstices of the impression.

3. Negocoll – is a rubbery gelatinous material consisting essentially of colloidal

magnesium scaps.

4. Hominit – is a resinous material used for making positives from Negocoll negatives. It
is a flesh color and is used for external surfaces.

5. Celerit – is brown and is used for backing and strengthening the hominit.