ISSN: 0022-1198
Page Count: 5

Surface Analysis of Electrical Arc Residues in Fire Investigation
Anderson, RN
Professor of materials engineering, School of Engineering, San Jose State University, CA

(Received 21 April 1988; accepted 8 August 1988)

Abstract

Fires caused by electrical shorting are difficult to identify with certainty from fire pattern analysis alone. Surface analysis techniques, such as electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and auger electron spectroscopy (AES), can be used to determine the history of an electrical short circuit by characterizing the environment in which the electrical arc residues were formed. In a fire that destroys insulation, the surface of the arc bead formed from the resultant electrical short circuit would show the presence of combustion products. If the electrical short circuit occurred before the fire had started, then arc bead analysis would show the absence of combustion products.

Keywords:
engineering, fires, electricity, electrical arc residues

Paper ID: JFS12683J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS12683J
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.