Reconstruction of a multi vehicle collision on a highway : combining forensic evidence examination, 3D-scanning and 3D-photogrammetry with numerical accident reconstruction methods.

Accident reconstruction is a complex task - especially in cases where more than two vehicles were involved and where more than one collision occurred. It is important for the police to know the needs and possibilities of the accident investigator and to understand the basic reconstruction principles. It is essential to record the damage on the involved vehicles for a detailed evaluation. The contact areas and/or damage have a very high importance in complex accidents for the reconstruction of what happened. The combination of classical forensic methods (micro trace examination) to prove physical contacts and the numerical methods of up to date accident reconstruction with accurate three-dimensional data allows an efficient approach in accident analysis. For the covering abstract see ITRD E144229.