Diploma in Wind Tunnel Testing and CFD for Structures
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in wind tunnel testing and CFD for structures. 8 modules covering similarity and physical modelling, boundary layer wind tunnels, structural testing, CFD fundamentals for wind, meshing and case set-up, validation and combined use, and translating results into structural design, applying ASCE/SEI 49-21, EN 1991-1-4 and AWES-QAM-1 with OpenFOAM, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Wind Tunnel Testing and CFD for Structures — studying from Ireland
Ireland's civil engineering sector is driven by public infrastructure investment in roads, water, housing and public transport, alongside rail projects such as Dublin's light rail and commuter rail upgrades. Transport Infrastructure Ireland sets standards for national roads, while Irish Rail and Iarnród Éireann operate and develop the rail network. Smart city initiatives in Dublin and other urban areas create demand for engineers working on sensors, data platforms and integrated mobility systems. Typical employers include contractors, consultancies, local authorities and public agencies, with Engineers Ireland providing professional recognition.
Fees for Ireland: €1,790 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is a SEIUM qualification recognised for chartered civil or rail engineering status in Ireland?
Chartered engineer status in Ireland is administered by Engineers Ireland, which sets its own criteria for membership and registration. Rail is regulated in part by the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail-related bodies, while building and infrastructure standards involve other authorities. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition is for those bodies and employers to decide.
Do Irish civil, rail and smart-city employers consider private online engineering study?
Irish infrastructure, consultancy and local authority employers usually weigh chartered status, project experience and relevant degrees heavily. A private online qualification may be considered as supporting evidence of skills, but its value is at each employer's discretion. We cannot promise any outcome, so discuss it with prospective employers.
Can I study alongside a site or office job, and is employer funding common?
The programme is online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Plan for 1,900 hours on a master's, 800 on a postgraduate diploma or 300 on a specialist course. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Many Irish employers have continuing professional development budgets, so ask yours.
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
Apply similarity principles in physical modelling.
Set up and instrument boundary layer wind tunnel tests.
Carry out pressure, force balance and aeroelastic tests.
Develop CFD simulations with RANS and LES models.
Validate numerical results against experimental data.
Derive design loads from tests and simulations.
Write technical reports for aerodynamic studies.
Who it's for
- Wind tunnel engineers planning and running structural tests.
- CFD analysts applying simulation to wind loads and urban flows.
- Aerodynamic laboratory technicians handling instrumentation and data acquisition.
- Wind load engineers turning test data into design loads.
- Civil aerodynamics consultants advising on buildings and bridges.
- Wind engineering researchers combining experiments and simulation.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter testing laboratories.
What you'll work with
- ASCE/SEI 49-21 (wind tunnel testing for buildings)
- EN 1991-1-4 (Eurocode 1 — wind actions)
- AWES-QAM-1 (quality assurance manual for wind tunnel studies)
- COST Action 732 (best practice guideline for CFD of urban flows)
- AIJ Guidelines (practical applications of CFD to the pedestrian wind environment)
- VDI 3783 Part 12 (physical modelling of flow)
- ISO 4354:2009 (wind actions on structures)
- OpenFOAM
- ANSYS Fluent
- STAR-CCM+
- ParaView
- LabVIEW
8 modules
1.1Dimensional analysis and the Pi theorem1.2Reynolds, Strouhal and Froude numbers1.3Geometric, velocity and time scales1.4Similarity limitations for bluff bodies1.5Surface roughness and scale effects1.6Rigid, sectional and aeroelastic models1.7Mass and stiffness scaling1.8Blockage and corrections1.9Designing a test plan1.10Practical: defining the scales for a bridge test
2.1Tunnel types: open and closed circuit2.2Boundary layer generation with spires and roughness2.3Calibration of profiles and turbulence2.4Turntable and modelling of surroundings2.5Instrumentation: Pitot, Cobra probe and hot wire2.6PIV and flow visualisation2.7Multichannel pressure scanners2.8Data acquisition and sampling frequency2.9Experimental uncertainty and repeatability2.10Laboratory: calibration of a simulated boundary layer
3.1Integrated pressure models3.2High-frequency force balance (HFFB)3.3Aeroelastic testing of towers3.4Sectional models of bridge decks3.5Flutter derivatives and aerodynamic coefficients3.6Testing of lightweight roofs and stadiums3.7Loads on chimneys and communication towers3.8Pollutant dispersion tests3.9Pedestrian comfort tests with probes3.10Case study: sectional model of a cable-stayed bridge
4.1Navier-Stokes equations and incompressibility4.2Finite volume discretisation4.3RANS turbulence models4.4Large eddy simulation (LES)4.5Hybrid DES models4.6Boundary layer boundary conditions4.7Wall functions and roughness4.8Numerical schemes and stability4.9Convergence and residuals4.10Workshop: first case of flow around a prism
5.1Domain size and blockage criteria5.2Structured and unstructured meshes5.3Near-surface refinement5.4Synthetic turbulent inflow generation5.5Mesh independence study5.6Time step and Courant number5.7Parallelisation and computing resources5.8Post-processing of pressures and velocities5.9Automating cases by wind direction5.10Practical: meshing an urban environment with snappyHexMesh
6.1COST 732 and AIJ best practice6.2Validation benchmark cases6.3CFD-wind tunnel pressure comparison6.4Quantitative validation metrics6.5Advantages of each technique by application6.6CFD at the concept design stage6.7Wind tunnel at the detailed design stage6.8Managing uncertainties6.9Integration into structural design6.10Case study: CFD-wind tunnel comparison for a tall building
7.1Combination with directional climate data7.2Equivalent static loads7.3Response analysis using balance data7.4Design pressures for cladding7.5Gust factor and extreme values7.6Preparing test reports7.7Independent review of results7.8Using results in BIM models7.9Responsibilities of the laboratory7.10Workshop: design loads from measured pressures
8.1Case statement and objectives8.2Design of the experimental test8.3CFD model of the case8.4Analysis of experimental results8.5Analysis of numerical results8.6Comparison and validation8.7Derived design loads8.8Conclusions and recommendations8.9Report 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 the intake, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+, ParaView and LabVIEW, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures such as a high-frequency force balance test of a tower model, LES simulation of pressures on a stadium roof and comparison of CFD and wind tunnel results in an urban setting. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: ASCE/SEI 49-21, EN 1991-1-4, AWES-QAM-1, COST Action 732, AIJ Guidelines, VDI 3783 Part 12, ISO 4354:2009.
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.
- 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 OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+, ParaView and LabVIEW, 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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