Diploma in Terramechanics for Heavy Vehicles
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in terramechanics for heavy vehicles. 8 modules covering soil mechanics for vehicles, wheel–terrain and track–terrain interaction, soil compaction, heavy vehicle mobility, vehicle design for soft terrain and terramechanical testing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Terramechanics for Heavy Vehicles — studying from Canada
Canada has an active classic and heritage vehicle community, supported by clubs, restoration specialists and museums across the country. Restoration work requires skills in engineering drawings, metalworking, electrical systems and historical research. Heritage vehicle collections and automotive museums, such as the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa, sustain professional and volunteer expertise. Specialist businesses and independent workshops are the main employers in this niche.
Fees for Canada: C$1,400 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Is this programme recognised by professional bodies in Canada for vehicle restoration work?
SEIUM's qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and carry no national accreditation in Canada. Restoration is largely a trade and enthusiast field in Canada, with recognition typically driven by reputation, workshop experience and clubs or heritage organisations rather than a single licensing body. Confirm with any prospective client or employer how they regard private qualifications.
What career use could this have in Canada's classic vehicle sector?
Potential uses include working with specialist restoration workshops, dealerships, collectors or heritage vehicle organisations. Employers and clients decide how to value a private qualification, and hands-on experience is usually the strongest factor in this sector. The final project may serve as a portfolio example, but it does not guarantee work.
Can I study this online with my own schedule from Canada?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so it suits learners across Canada and no student visa is needed to study from home. Programme lengths are 300, 800 or 1,900 hours depending on the level. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and an assigned technical tutor supports your progress.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Characterise soils from a vehicle perspective.
Analyse wheel–terrain interaction on soft soils.
Compare the behaviour of wheels and tracks.
Assess soil compaction and damage.
Predict the mobility of heavy vehicles.
Specify vehicles adapted to soft terrain.
Carry out standardised terramechanical tests.
Who it's for
- Off-road vehicle engineers.
- Terramechanics specialists.
- Agricultural machinery engineers.
- Forestry machinery engineers.
- Special vehicle mobility engineers.
- Field test technicians.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the agricultural machinery sector.
What you'll work with
- ASABE S313.3 (soil cone penetrometer)
- ASABE EP542 (procedures for using and reporting cone penetrometer data)
- ASABE S296.5 (terminology for traction of agricultural vehicles)
- ISTVS standards for terrain–vehicle systems (definitions and measurement methods in terramechanics)
- ISO 14688-1 (identification and classification of soil)
- ETRTO Standards Manual (tyre and rim dimensions, loads and pressures)
- Project Chrono
- MATLAB
- MSC Adams
- QGIS
8 modules
1.1Soil classification and particle size distribution1.2Cohesion and internal friction angle1.3Moisture, plasticity and Atterberg limits1.4Density and compactness1.5Mohr–Coulomb shear strength1.6Organic soils, peat and snow1.7Spatial variability of terrain1.8In-situ characterisation1.9Cone penetrometer to ASABE S3131.10Workshop: soil characterisation with a penetrometer
2.1Sinkage and contact pressure2.2Rolling resistance on soft soil2.3Traction force and slip2.4Net drawbar pull2.5Influence of load and inflation pressure2.6Low-pressure tyres2.7Multiple wheels and multi-pass effect2.8Rigid and flexible wheels2.9Soil bin testing2.10Practical: sinkage calculation for a loaded wheel
3.1Steel and rubber tracks3.2Pressure distribution under the track3.3Mean versus maximum pressure3.4Rollers and track tensioning3.5Track slip3.6Skid steering and resistances3.7Track versus wheel comparison3.8Half-tracks and mixed systems3.9Selection for heavy-duty applications3.10Case study: choosing between wheels and tracks for a forwarder
4.1Compaction mechanisms4.2Pressure bulb at depth4.3Effect of high axle loads4.4Ruts and rut formation4.5Impact on agricultural and forest soils4.6Controlled traffic farming4.7Soil damage indicators4.8Soil recovery4.9Applicable environmental regulations4.10Lab: compaction measurement after multiple passes
5.1Cone index and mobility number5.2Empirical military mobility methods5.3Gradeability5.4Obstacles, trenches and steps5.5Wading and saturated soils5.6Mobility on snow5.7Trafficability mapping5.8Prediction tools5.9Validation with field tests5.10Practical: trafficability map of a terrain
6.1Load distribution and centre of gravity6.2Number of axles and all-wheel drive6.3Central tyre inflation systems6.4Suspension and chassis articulation6.5Power required on soft terrain6.6Traction control and differential locks6.7Self-recovery equipment6.8Design for forestry and agricultural machinery6.9Design for emergency vehicles6.10Case study: specifying a rescue vehicle for mud
7.1Contact pressure instrumentation7.2Measurement of slip and drawbar pull7.3Drawbar tests with a dynamometer7.4Bevameter and plate sinkage test7.5ASABE and ISTVS procedures7.6Laboratory soil bin tests7.7Field tests and repeatability7.8Data analysis7.9Technical report7.10Lab: field drawbar pull test
8.1Definition of the vehicle and terrain8.2Soil characterisation8.3Interaction model8.4Mobility prediction8.5Compaction assessment8.6Improvement proposal8.7Test plan8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Project Chrono, MATLAB, MSC Adams and QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for measuring drawbar pull and slip in the field, soil characterisation with a cone penetrometer and compaction assessment for forestry machinery. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ASABE S313.3, ASABE EP542, ASABE S296.5, ISTVS standards for terrain–vehicle systems, ISO 14688-1, ETRTO Standards Manual.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Project Chrono, MATLAB, MSC Adams and QGIS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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