R. MATTHEW BRACH, Ph.D., P.E.
SENIOR MANAGING CONSULTANT
MANAGER OF ILLINOIS OPERATIONS
rmbrach@engsys.com
4215 Campus Drive
Aurora, IL 60504
Mr.
R.
Matthew Brach, Ph.D., P.E. is a Senior Managing Consultant with ESI in the Aurora, Illinois
office, where he also manages the Illinois office operations. His principal areas of professional
activity include vehicle impact analysis, vehicle dynamics, and automotive accident
reconstruction. He has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University, an
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a B.S. in Electrical
Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He served as an adjunct professor of Mechanical
Engineering at Lawrence Technological University. He has held engineering positions with the
Ford Motor Company, Exponent, and the IIT Research Institute. He is a member of the Society
of Automotive Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National
Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists, and the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers.
Areas of Specialization
Vehicle Impact Analysis
Vehicle Dynamics
Automotive Accident Reconstruction
Railroad Grade Crossing Crash Analysis and Reconstruction
Education
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Ml, 1995
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1986
B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, 1982
Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.)
State of Illinois………License No.062-068077
State of Michigan……License No.620-1045038
State of Indiana……..License No.PE10403311
Professional Affiliations/Honors
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Chair of the Body, Chassis, Safety and Structures Activity (2014 - 2017)
Phone: 630-851-4566
I
Fax: 630-851-4870
I
Toll Free: 866-596-3994
www.engsys.com
R. Matthew Brach, Ph.D., P.E.
June
2023
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American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists (NAPARS)
Forest R. McFarland Award
SAE International, 2010
Amoco Foundation Fellowship, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Michigan State University, 1990 - 1993
Positions Held
Engineering Systems Inc., Aurora, IL
Manager of Illinois Operations, 2017 - Present
Senior Managing Consultant, 2014 - Present
Brach Engineering, LLC, South Bend, IN
Engineering Consultant, 2002 - 2014
Exponent, Inc. Farmington Hills, Ml
Managing Engineer, 1998 - 2002
Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Ml
Adjunct Professor, 1994 - 2000
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Ml
Engineer, 1993 - 1998
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Ml
Graduate Student, 1989 - 1993
MPC Products Corporation, Skokie, IL
Engineer, 1987 - 1989
Triodyne, Inc., Niles, IL
Engineer, 1985 - 1987
IIT Research Institute, Chicago, IL
Associate Research Engineer, 1982 - 1985
R. Matthew Brach, Ph.D., P.E.
June
2023
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Continuing Education, Short Course Lectures Presented
Advanced Applications of Heavy Vehicle EDR Data
SAE International, Appleton, WI, June 2023
Vehicles Accident Reconstruction Methods
Invited Lecture at Collision and Injury Dynamics, Torrance, CA, February 2023
Pedestrian Throw Models for Frontal Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions
Invited Speaker, ARC-CSI Crash Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 2017
Vehicle Accident Reconstruction Methods
SAE Continuing Education Seminar, 2004 - 2016
Vehicle Accident Reconstruction Methods
Two-day seminar at ITAI/EVU Conference, Hinckley, England, September 2009
Experimental Program to Study the Tire-Roadway Friction Related to Drag Sleds
Presentation and testing at F3T2 Conference, Houston, Texas, September 2006
Vehicle Accident Reconstruction Methods
Three-day seminar for TRL, Bramshill, Berkeshire, England, June 2006
Tire Forces
SAE TOPTEC, Phoenix, Arizona, May 2001
Invited Lecturer
SAE Industrial Lectureship Program, 2000 - 2001
Continuing Education, Short Courses Attended
Bendix Spicer-Advanced Technology Training Curriculum, Elyria, Ohio, October 2021
Traffic Signal Timing Records Interpretation and Analysis, Traffic Signal Academy,
University of Tennessee - Knoxville, Instructor: Airton Kohls, Ph.D., Norcross, GA, October
2020
Applying Automotive EDR Data to Traffic Crash Reconstruction, SAE Continuing Education
Seminar, June 2019
Applied Vehicle Dynamics Course, Precision Auto Research, Autobahn Country Club, Joliet,
IL, October 2018
Accessing and Interpreting Heavy Vehicle Event Data Recorders, SAE International,
R. Matthew Brach, Ph.D., P.E.
June
2023
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Charlotte, NC, May 2016
Forklift Operator Safety Training and Certification, Aurora, IL, December 2015
Fundamentals of Heavy Truck Dynamics, SAE International, Troy, Ml, December
2013
Commercial Vehicle Braking Systems, SAE International, Troy, Ml, June 2012
Tire and Wheels Safety Issues, SAE International, Troy, Ml, May
2012
CDR Data Analyst, Collision Safety Institute, Lansing, Ml, July 2011
Air Brake Systems Training Program, Bendix Spicer, Huntington, IN, May 2011
Legal Issues for Professional Engineers, HalfMoon LLC, South Bend, IN, January
2011
CDR Technician Certification, Collision Safety Institute, Elk Grove Village, IL, August
2009
Investigation of Gas and Electric Appliance Fires, Fire Findings, Benton Harbor, Ml, 2003
Photogrammetry in Accident Reconstruction, SAE, Troy, Ml, 1999
Fundamental of Seat Ride Dynamics, SAE, Dearborn, Ml, 1994
Publications/Presentations
"Validation of the Han-Brach Vehicle-Pedestrian Impact Mechanics Model",
R.
Matthew Brach, David Fortenbaugh and Jon Van Poppel, Collision Magazine, volume
13, issue 2, pgs. 8 - 23, Spring 2020.
"Sensitivity Analysis of Various Vehicle Dynamic Simulation Software Packages Using Design of
Experiments (DOE)",
R.
Matthew Brach, Shawn Capser, Emmanuel Jay Manuel, Joshua Rogers, Robert Bailey,
Paper 2020-01-0639, SAE International, Warrendale, PA, 2020.
"Sensitivity Analysis of Simulated Postimpact Vehicle Motion Using Design of Experiments
(DOE)",
R.
Matthew Brach and Shawn P. Capser, SAE Technical Paper 2018-011-0526, 2018.
Recipient of SAE Oral Presentation Award.
"Nonlinear Optimization in Vehicular Crash Reconstruction,"
(with Raymond M. Brach and Richard A. Mink), SAE Int. J. Trans. Safety 3(1):2015,
doi:10.4271/2015-01-1433.
"Analysis of High-Speed Sideswipe Collisions Using Data from Small Overlap Crash Tests,"
R. Matthew Brach, Ph.D., P.E.
June
2023
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(with Raymond M. Brach and Katherine Pongetti), Paper 2014-01-0469, SAE
International, Warrendale, PA, 2014.
"Uncertainty of CRASH3 /. V and Energy Loss for Frontal Collisions,"
(with Raymond M. Brach and Andrew Louderback), Paper 2012-01-0608, SAE
International, Warrendale, PA, 2012.
"The Tire-Force Ellipse (Friction Ellipse) and Tire Characteristics,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), Paper 2011-01-0094, SAE International, Warrendale, PA,
2011.
"Insertion Loss: Train & Light-Vehicle Horns and Railroad-Crossing Sound Levels,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), 158th Meeting, Acoustical Society of America, San Antonio,
TX, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, 2009.
"Insertion Loss: Train & Light-Vehicle Horns and Railroad-Crossing Sound Levels,"
National Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Training Conference, New Orleans, LA,
2009.
"Tire Models for Vehicle Dynamic Simulation and Accident Reconstruction,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), Paper 2009-01-0120, SAE International, Warrendale, PA,
2009.
"Tire Models Used in Accident Reconstruction Vehicle Motion Simulation,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), XVII Europaischen Vereinigung fur Unfallforschung und
Unfallanalyse (EVU) - Conference, Nice, France, 2008.
"Analysis of Collisions, Conservation of Linear Momentum: Can We Do Better?"
(with Raymond M. Brach), Collision Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 1, Spring 2007.
"Analysis of Collisions Involving Articulated Vehicles,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), Paper 2007-01- 0735, SAE International, Warrendale, PA,
2007.
"Residual Crush Energy Partitioning: Normal and Tangential Energy Losses,"
(with Raymond M. Brach and Kevin Welsh), Paper 2007-01-0737, SAE International,
Warrendale, PA, 2007.
"Uncertainty When Reconstructing Accidents," Michigan Defense Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 3,
January 2007,
(with Raymond M. Brach) [reprinted: "Uncertainty When Reconstructing Accidents,"
Indiana Civil Litigation Review, Vol IV, 2007, with Philip
E.
Kalamaros].
"Modeling Combined Braking and Steering Forces,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), Paper 2000-01- 0357, SAE International, Warrendale, PA,
2000.
R. Matthew Brach, Ph.D., P.E.
June
2023
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"Crush Energy and Planar Impact Mechanics for Accident Reconstruction,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), Paper 980025, SAE International, Warrendale, PA, 1998.
"Automotive Powerplant Isolation Strategies,"
Paper 971942, SAE International, Warrendale, PA, 1997.
"The Nonlinear Response and Passive Vibration Isolation of Rigid Bodies,"
Journal of Machine Vibration, Vol. 5, Number 3, pp. 131-141, (with A.G. Haddow), 1996.
"Evaluation of the Squeak Produced by Automotive Interior Trim Materials in Contact with
Automotive Glass,"
presented at the Automotive and Transportation Interiors Exposition, (with C. Kennedy),
May 1996.
"Harmonic Response and Passive Vibration Isolation of Rigid Bodies,"
Ph.D. Thesis, Michigan State University, 1995.
"On the Dynamic Response of Hydraulic Engine Mounts,"
SAE Paper 931321, presented at SAE Noise and Vibration Conference, (with A.G.
Haddow), Traverse City, Ml, May 1993. Recipient of SAE Oral Presentation Award.
"Nonlinear Response of a Class of Engine Mounts,"
presented at the 4th Conference on Nonlinear Vibrations, Stability and Dynamics of
Structures and Mechanisms, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, (with A.
G. Haddow and T. bnsay), June 1992.
"A Review of Impact Models for Vehicle Collision Analysis,"
(with Raymond M. Brach), SAE Paper 870048, Warrendale, PA, 1987.
"Impact Models for Planar Rigid Body Collisions,"
requirement for Master of Science degree, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1986.
Books
Vehicle Accident Analysis and Reconstruction Methods,
(with Raymond M. Brach and James J. Mason), 3
rd
Edition, Publication R-516, SAE
International, 2022.
