In this case, exemplar testing was used to determine the bus driver's field of view.

Ruhl Forensic staff prepare a fully loaded tractor-trailer for skid testing to determine its deceleration rate.

Air turbulence testing with a life-sized mannequin proved that the child could not have been "sucked" under the truck.

Ruhl Forensic staff participate in annual crash testing in Europe through our affiliation with the European Accident Reconstruction Group.

Research and Testing

Ruhl Forensic staff conduct both case-related and independent research and testing. Case related testing, performed with state-of-the art equipment, allows us to test various case hypotheses and to gather situationally relevant data for use in the engineering analyses. Types of testing include:

• Acceleration
• Skid / Coefficient of friction
• Lighting and conspicuity
• Visibility / Line of sight
• Air turbulence
• Equipment stability
• Sound
• Physical human abilities

Our independent research is performed to advance the scientific and accident reconstruction body of knowledge; our methodology and results are published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international forums. Some areas of research include:

• Air brake system analysis
• Flatbed trailer and tanker truck roll analysis
• Human factors distance estimation
• Truck air ride seats
• Shipping pallets movement in a tractor-trailer
• Truck air suspensions
• Air turbulence created by vehicles

Ruhl Forensic staff also participate in international testing through our affiliation with the European Accident Reconstruction Group. Additional research projects are carried out by staff instructing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.