Crashworthiness and Programmed Deformation Course
300-hour online course in crashworthiness and programmed deformation. 6 modules covering UNECE R94 (frontal impact), UNECE R95 (side impact) and LS-DYNA. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Crashworthiness and Programmed Deformation Course — studying from New Zealand
Regulation, safety and reliability engineering is well established in New Zealand, underpinned by a strong regulatory framework for health and safety, transport, building and electrical equipment. WorkSafe New Zealand administers workplace health and safety law, while Standards New Zealand develops and publishes national standards. Professionals in this area support compliance, certification and risk assessment for manufacturers, infrastructure operators and public agencies.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,470 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies set the rules for safety and compliance engineering?
WorkSafe New Zealand regulates workplace health and safety, and the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi handles vehicle and transport compliance. Engineering New Zealand is the professional body, including the Chartered Professional Engineer pathway. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their recognition is decided by employers or the relevant body.
Do New Zealand employers hire RAMS and safety engineers?
Yes. Reliability, availability, maintainability and safety roles exist across infrastructure, energy, transport, and manufacturing. Employers typically look for demonstrated competence against recognised standards and professional registration where relevant. A private qualification can support an application, but employers decide how much it counts.
Can I study this alongside work, and do I need a visa?
Yes to both parts. The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from New Zealand. You get an assigned technical tutor and complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Programme lengths range from 300 to 1,900 hours.
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
Explain the principles of crashworthiness and impact energy management.
Analyse the mechanics of plastic deformation and progressive buckling.
Design elements with programmed deformation and collapse initiators.
Model impacts using explicit finite element simulation.
Correlate simulation results with physical tests.
Assess compliance with regulatory impact requirements.
Design a complete programmed deformation structure.
Who it's for
- Crashworthiness engineer who wants to specialise in Crashworthiness and programmed deformation.
- Impact simulation engineer who wants to specialise in Crashworthiness and programmed deformation.
- Body structures engineer who wants to specialise in Crashworthiness and programmed deformation.
- Passive safety engineer who wants to specialise in Crashworthiness and programmed deformation.
- Materials engineer for energy absorption who wants to specialise in Crashworthiness and programmed deformation.
- Structural validation manager who wants to specialise in Crashworthiness and programmed deformation.
- Graduates in engineering or science who want to enter the automotive industry.
What you'll work with
- UNECE R94 (frontal impact)
- UNECE R95 (side impact)
- FMVSS 208 (occupant protection)
- FMVSS 216 (roof crush resistance)
- UNECE R12 (protection against steering mechanism)
- IIHS frontal impact protocols
- SAE J211 (instrumentation for impact tests)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Energy management in collisions1.2Deceleration pulse and compatibility1.3Survival space1.4Load paths in the front end1.5Rigid passenger compartment structure1.6Compatibility between vehicles1.7Frontal, side, rear and rollover collisions1.8Euro NCAP and regulatory requirements1.9Specifics of electric vehicles1.10Case study: analysis of a small overlap test
2.1Plasticity and strain hardening2.2Strain rate sensitivity2.3Progressive buckling of tubes2.4Collapse of thin-walled sections2.5Plastic hinge mechanisms2.6Mean crushing force2.7Fracture and failure criteria2.8Joints: spot welds and adhesives2.9Materials: AHSS steels, aluminium and composites2.10Practice: mean force of a square tube
3.1Fold initiators and notches3.2Crash boxes and bumper beams3.3Side members with variable stiffness3.4Hardened steels and press with soft zones3.5Tailor welded and tailor rolled blanks3.6Extruded aluminium structures3.7Composite absorbers3.8Design of B-pillars and sills3.9Battery protection3.10Workshop: design of a side member with initiators
4.1Explicit methods and time step4.2Meshing and element quality4.3Material models in LS-DYNA4.4Contacts and joints4.5Validation with component tests4.6Full vehicle models4.7Topology and thickness optimisation4.8Robustness and variability4.9Post-processing of energies and intrusions4.10Laboratory: simulation of a crash box in LS-DYNA
5.1Component tests on drop towers5.2Subsystem tests on sled5.3Full vehicle tests5.4ODB and MPDB deformable barriers5.5Intrusion measurement5.6Test-simulation correlation5.7Repairability and RCAR testing5.8Battery testing after impact5.9Lessons from vehicles on the market5.10Case study: correlation of an MPDB test
6.1Definition of the impact requirement6.2Material selection6.3Conceptual design6.4Simulation model6.5Design optimisation6.6Robustness analysis6.7Validation plan6.8Weight and cost assessment6.9Report and presentation6.10Final 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: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is LS-DYNA, Altair Radioss, HyperMesh, ANSA, META, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for barrier impact tests, axial crush tests of components and test-simulation correlation. Assessment is continuous across modules plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the principles of crashworthiness and impact energy management.
Analyse the mechanics of plastic deformation and progressive buckling.
Design elements with programmed deformation and collapse initiators.
Model impacts using explicit finite element simulation.
Correlate simulation results with physical tests.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with LS-DYNA, Altair Radioss, HyperMesh, ANSA and META. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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