The Mechanics and Physics of high rate deformation and fracture is the central and historical research theme of the Dynamic Fracture Laboratory (DFL). The DFL was started within the Materials Mechanics Center in 1994 by D. Rittel, to address specific issues in dynamic fracture mechanics and stress wave physics through a combined experimental-numerical approach.

Since then, the Dynamic Fracture Laboratory has been actively developing new tools and techniques to address these issues, while expanding its activity to other related and exciting new domains, such as soft matter mechanics and dental biomechanics, or dental engineering. Throughout our research, we never lose sight of the governing physics of the processes that we characterize and model.