The approximately 200 m² laboratory, in the basement of the Schwackhöfer-building, is used mainly for the IAN's training tasks and also its graduate and research work. It allows standard tests in hydraulics, soil mechanics, rheology and model experiments on processes relating to natural disasters, to be carried out on a small and large scale. This also includes access to a climate chamber (35 m³; to -20°C) and a complete workshop for metal- and woodwork. The following are some of the activities available:

  • grain size analysis
  • rheological testing of viscous and granular media
  • hydraulic model tests
  • water tank tests
  • snow machine tests

A selection of current and completed projects can be found hereMovie: Project "Vorderbergerbach"

Optimisiation of a retention basin: Physical scale model

Rotating drum for experiments on the flow behaviour of debris flows and avalanches

Conveyor belt flume for rheologic experiments with homogeneous fluids