Matthias Braun

Matthias Braun is a researcher at the Institute of Building Construction, Timber Construction and Circular Construction, within the Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). His work centers on structural timber engineering, focusing on innovative construction systems, load-bearing behavior of joints, and digital fabrication methods. He contributes to national and FFG-funded research projects related to prefabrication and high-performance concrete-timber systems.

His research interests include timber-concrete composite systems, automated and robotic construction, numerical modeling of timber joints, and resource-efficient building technologies. He explores how digital design, optimization, and industrialized processes can enhance sustainability and structural performance in modern timber construction. His work bridges experimental testing with computational analysis, particularly in evaluating joint behavior under load and the impact of manufacturing tolerances.

The trend in his publications shows a strong focus on advancing industrialized timber construction through automation, digital tools, and sustainable materials. His articles span experimental investigations, numerical modeling, and real-world applications in prefabricated systems, reflecting an interdisciplinary approach combining structural engineering, material science, and digital fabrication.

Scientific Contributions:

• Active contributor to international conferences such as WCTE and IASS.
• Published in journals including Materials and Applied Sciences.
• ORCID: 0000-0002-0185-4521

Academic Mentoring and Community Engagement:

• Supervised multiple master’s theses on topics related to timber joints, truss optimization, and composite systems.
• Delivered lectures and public talks at institutions like HTL Mödling and during the Lange Nacht der Forschung.
• Featured in media outlets such as ORF Fernsehen discussing sustainable construction with wood.

Laboratory and Research Infrastructure:
His work is closely tied to the BOKU Robot Laboratory, where digital design and automated construction of wooden structures are implemented, including the development of a curved wooden truss as part of a research housing project.