Transport and mobility

The entire transportation system is facing major upheavals. This applies both to the changing traffic structures caused by demographic change and new lifestyles, which are leading to new demands on traffic planning, and to the incipient process of rethinking vehicle drives. Closely related to this are demands for transport routes (road and rail) that can be used flexibly and for greater incorporation of modern transport technology to increase the capacities of transport routes. The introduction of life cycle thinking for transport infrastructure helps to take into account the impact on the performance of transport networks when making decisions on all phases of the structures (planning, construction, operation, maintenance and recycling). In the field of freight transport, which is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, new logistics concepts are developing that can contribute to a more favorable traffic flow.

For this reason, a total of ten departments and subject areas from five faculties have joined together to form the Transport Research Association, with the aim of jointly answering important questions about the future of transport in the areas of teaching, research and cooperation with non-university institutions.

In Department 14, the subject is dealt with in a leading role by the departments and subject areas of the Institute of Transportation (IfV):

• Construction and Maintenance of Transport Routes
• Traffic planning and traffic systems
• Traffic engineering and transport logistics

Among others, the following research questions are answered:

• Which transport infrastructures are necessary or economical considering changing framework conditions?
• How can sustainable mobility be implemented in rural areas that are particularly affected by demographic change?
• What is the role of public transport in the future transport system?
• How can public transport, car sharing and bicycle rental systems be integrated?
• Can the use of new construction materials reduce the cost of road maintenance or improve its durability?
• How does climate change affect traffic?
• Which building materials or construction methods are suitable for regions that are particularly affected by climate change in order to ensure durable and efficient use?
• How can traffic engineering and traffic management contribute to a more efficient use of transport infrastructure?

Interdisciplinary cooperation in the research area of transport and mobility is not only practiced within the university, but also with partners outside the university. An important role in this context is played by MoWin.net, the North Hessian network of the mobility economy, in which industrial companies, engineering offices, public institutions and scientific institutions work together. The IfV's departments are not only members of MoWin.net, but also actively participate in the network's board of directors.