Our research focuses on the dynamics and control of road and rail vehicles, the dynamic behaviour of mechanisms, machines and machine components as well as on issues from the field of biomechanics.

Based on classical methods of technical dynamics and the development of new methods, the research area strives for a deeper understanding of the system behaviour of mechanical and mechatronic systems. This subsequently forms the basis for the development of passive and active methods for achieving the desired system behaviour. Modelling, simulation, experimentation, validation and testing should complement each other.

Our Research Focus Areas

Multibody System Dynamics

Model of a blue vehicle on a bad road section

Profound understanding of dynamical phenomena at mechatronic systems.

Vehicle-Driver Interaction

Schematic representation of a car cockpit

Modelling of the driver-vehicle combination and of their mutual influence and their support by advanced driver assist systems.

Biomechanics

belted driver shortly before an impact

Simulation and reproduction of the human gait, e.g. to test different control concepts for a leg prosthesis.

Vehicle System Dynamics

The research unit of Vehicle System Dynamics can look back on a tradition of almost 50 years, was initiated in the early 1970s by Professors Slibar and K. Desoyer and successfully built up by Prof. P. Lugner at the then Institute of Mechanics. At that time, vehicle dynamics very quickly established itself at many research institutions worldwide as part of the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM), opens an external URL in a new window in the context of which the idea was also born to continuously develop vehicle system dynamics on the basis of an international association. This led to the foundation of the International Association of Vehicle System Dynamics (IAVSD), opens an external URL in a new window - and in Vienna on 22 September 1977. The Research Division continues to be closely connected with the IAVSD through the holders of the position of Secretary General, as well as through the Journal Vehicle System Dynamics, opens an external URL in a new window  (in the function of an editor), which is the official journal of the IAVSD. This justifies the Research Area's long-standing interest in all ground-based vehicles, such as motor vehicles, rail vehicles and motorcycles/bicycles/scooters.

Technical Dynamics

The research unit Technical Dynamics was established internationally by Professors A. Slibar, H. Springer and H. Ecker at the former Institute of Machine Dynamics with their scientific work in the areas of vibration and rotor dynamics and now forms a joint research area with Vehicle Dynamics at the Institute.