As part of the master’s module Interdisciplinary Project in Civil and Environmental Engineering (IPBU), students created a three-dimensional model of Frankfurt’s riverbank and tested it in virtual reality (VR) with bachelorstudents. The aim was to explore the interaction between infrastructure, human behaviour, and digital simulation methods. The project was jointly supervised by three institutes: the Institute of Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering (IVV), the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Design (ISM+D), and the Institute of Numerical Methods and Informatics in Civil Engineering (iib).

Students were given the opportunity to carry out a complex research project independently – from submitting an ethics application to 3D modeling and conducting controlled VR evacuation exercises. The core research question focused on how cities can be designed to be more climate-resilient and better prepared for extreme weather events. A noteworthy aspect: this was the first IPBU project to be conducted entirely in English. The data collected also formed the basis for a research proposal, underscoring the scientific relevance of the project.

The interdisciplinary project, carried out in the winter semester 2024/25, illustrates how hands-on teaching, digital tools, and current societal challenges can be successfully combined. For the students involved, the project was not only an exciting learning experience, but also a potential entry point into academic research.

Read here (opens in new tab) the article in the university newspaper hoch³ (Technical University of Darmstadt) on pages 6–7 (German).