Diploma in Field Testing for Terramechanics
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in field testing for terramechanics, with 8 modules covering soil mechanics for vehicles, wheel-soil and track-soil interaction, field instrumentation, test campaign design, vehicle mobility testing, modelling and data analysis, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Field Testing for Terramechanics — studying from Ireland
Ireland has an active heritage vehicle and classic machinery community, supported by clubs, restoration workshops and specialist suppliers serving classic cars, motorcycles and agricultural equipment. Engineering skills in this area combine historical knowledge with modern techniques in fabrication, materials and diagnostics. Restoration work is often linked to heritage conservation and museum collections, and classic vehicles operate under national roadworthiness and vehicle registration rules. Professional bodies and enthusiast organisations help maintain standards and knowledge across the sector.
Fees for Ireland: €1,090 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is there a recognised professional body in Ireland for classic vehicle restoration?
Classic vehicle restoration in Ireland is largely a craft and hobby sector, supported by enthusiast clubs and heritage bodies rather than a regulated professional title. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not confer membership or formal recognition. Check the requirements of any club or body you wish to join.
Would Irish restoration businesses or employers value this qualification?
Restoration businesses in Ireland often rely on hands-on skill, reputation and portfolio work. A private online qualification may add to your CV, but employers decide for themselves whether it is relevant. Your final project can help show your capability, though there is no guarantee of any outcome.
Can I study this part-time while keeping my current commitments?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home around existing commitments. Durations are 300, 800 or 1,900 hours depending on the course, so plan your schedule accordingly. Fees can be paid in instalments, and each student has an assigned technical tutor.
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 mobility perspective.
Model wheel-soil and track-soil interaction.
Use field instrumentation for terramechanics.
Design repeatable and safe test campaigns.
Carry out vehicle mobility tests.
Simulate mobility with numerical models.
Apply the results to improve vehicle design.
Who it's for
- Terramechanics engineers.
- Mobility test engineers.
- Agricultural machinery engineers moving into soil-vehicle testing.
- Off-road vehicle engineers.
- Field technicians.
- Mobility simulation analysts.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the agricultural and forestry machinery sector.
What you'll work with
- ASABE S313.3 (soil cone penetrometer)
- ASABE EP542 (procedures for using and reporting cone penetrometer data)
- ISO 17892-1 (laboratory testing of soil: water content)
- ISO 22476-2 (field testing: dynamic probing)
- ASTM D1556 (in-place density by the sand-cone method)
- ASTM D2216 (laboratory determination of soil water content)
- ISTVS standards (terrain-vehicle systems)
- NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM)
- Project Chrono
- MATLAB
- QGIS
8 modules
1.1Soil types and classification1.2Cohesion and angle of friction1.3Density and moisture1.4Bearing capacity1.5Bekker pressure-sinkage theory1.6Janosi-Hanamoto shear stress1.7Sandy, clay and organic soils1.8Snow and ice as terrain1.9Soils on other planets1.10Practical exercise: classification of soil samples
2.1Sinkage and motion resistance2.2Slip and traction2.3Net traction effort2.4Rigid versus pneumatic wheel2.5Inflation pressure and footprint2.6Track-soil interaction2.7Multi-pass effect2.8Soil compaction2.9Semi-empirical models2.10Laboratory: testing a wheel in a soil bin
3.1Cone penetrometer3.2Bevameter3.3In-situ shear apparatus3.4Density by sand cone3.5Soil moisture3.6Terrain profilometers3.7Sinkage measurement3.8Traction dynamometers3.9GNSS and position logging3.10Workshop: penetrometry campaign
4.1Objectives and variables4.2Site selection4.3Preparation of test tracks4.4Repeatability in the field4.5Weather conditions4.6Field safety4.7Environmental permits4.8Equipment logistics4.9Sampling plan4.10Practical exercise: test plan on sandy terrain
5.1Drawbar pull test5.2Motion resistance test5.3Maximum gradeability5.4Obstacle crossing5.5Fording5.6Turning test on soft soil5.7Vehicle cone index5.8Fuel consumption on soft terrain5.9Towed-load tests5.10Case study: comparison of two inflation pressures
6.1Reference mobility models6.2Discrete elements for soils6.3Finite element models6.4Multibody simulation with terrain6.5Mobility maps with GIS6.6Prediction of trafficable routes6.7Validation with field data6.8Prediction uncertainty6.9Open-source tools6.10Laboratory: simulation of a wheel in sand
7.1Processing of field data7.2Test statistics7.3Parameter correlation7.4Technical reports7.5Application to agricultural machinery7.6Application to rally-raid vehicles7.7Application to military and emergency vehicles7.8Planetary exploration7.9Reducing compaction7.10Practical exercise: mobility report for a vehicle
8.1Definition of the vehicle and terrain8.2Soil characterisation8.3Test plan8.4Mobility tests8.5Simulation8.6Correlation of results8.7Design recommendations8.8Technical report8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM), Project Chrono, MATLAB and QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: penetrometry campaigns on soft soil, drawbar pull tests in sand and sinkage measurement at different inflation pressures. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: ASABE S313.3, ASABE EP542, ISO 17892-1, ISO 22476-2, ASTM D1556, ASTM D2216, ISTVS standards.
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 NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM), Project Chrono, MATLAB 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 programme 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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