Matthäi-Award 2023 for excellent Dissertation by Dr.-Ing. Clemens Krautwald

In a festive setting of the New Year's reception of Faculty 3 on January 18, 2024, the Matthäi Prize 2023 was awarded. The Matthäi Foundation honored the outstanding dissertation of Dr.-Ing. Clemens Krautwald, titled "Large-Scale Experimental Studies on Loads and Structural Collapse during Extreme Hydrodynamic Events". The accolade was presented by the Managing Director, Hinrich Tjarden, and the Chairman of the Foundation Board of the Gerhard and Karin Matthäi Foundation, Friedrich Röhrs.

In his dissertation, Clemens Krautwald examined the interactions of extreme hydrodynamic events, such as tsunamis or flash floods, with scaled building models. Through extensive physical experiments in the Large Wave Flume, significant insights were gained. The study particularly focused on the horizontal and vertical forces acting on idealized wooden structures when subjected to exceptionally high flow velocities from broken waves. Simultaneously, the same series of experiments explored scenarios of typical failure modes in cases where hydraulic loads exceed the design limits.

The acquired knowledge contributes to a more precise consideration of extreme loads in the design process and the early recognition of potential overloads in urban planning. Clemens Krautwald's research thus makes a significant contribution to safety and sustainability in urban development.

Related news on this topic can be found here:

• https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/abu/aktuelles-und-termine/news-detailansicht/fk3-neujahrsempfang-der-fakultaet-architektur-bauingenieurwesen-und-umweltwissenschaften
• https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/en/lwi/hyku/news-details/when-the-storm-surge-hits-the-house-on-the-coast
• https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/en/lwi/hyku/news-details/publication-collapsing-structures