The Chair and the Institute of General Mechanics exist since the establishment of the university in the year 1870. Since August 1st 1995, Dieter Weichert leads the institute. He shifted the fields of research to structural and solid mechanics. Main topics are nonlinear behaviour of materials and damage caused by inelastic effects.

The Chair and the Institute of General Mechanics originally belonged to the mathematical - scientific faculty (earlier: Faculty of General Sciences). The change to the faculty for mechanical engineering took place at the 01.01.1989.

Today there are approx. 35 constant staff members engaged, 15 of them as scientific employees, 20 as employees in education and administration, in the construction office, the electro - workshop and the mechanical workshop. Moreover, there are approx. 35 student assistants employed.

• Rhenish-Westphalian Technical University