The Ernst-Mach-Institut deals with physical-technical aspects of high-speed, mechanical, and fluid-dynamic processes. This includes experimental and numerical analyses of shock waves in solids, fluids, and gases, flow and combustion processes, impact and penetration processes in a broad range of speeds from 10 m/s to 10.000 m/s, the response of structures to shock loads, dynamic material response at high strain and at high strain rates. The focus of our research is on traffic, security, defence and space.