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Master’s in CFD & Wind Tunnel for Motorcycles Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in CFD and wind tunnel engineering for motorcycles. 12 modules covering applied fluid mechanics, geometry preparation, external-flow meshing, numerical modelling, post-processing, CFD optimisation, wind tunnels and instrumentation, motorcycle tunnel testing and CFD-tunnel correlation, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Prepare motorcycle and rider geometries for simulation.

02

Generate meshes suited to complex external flows.

03

Select turbulence models and numerical schemes.

04

Run and validate CFD simulations of motorcycles.

05

Plan wind tunnel tests with balance and pressure measurements.

06

Correlate CFD and tunnel results with uncertainty quantification.

07

Develop a combined CFD-tunnel aerodynamic study of a motorcycle.

Profile

Who it's for

  • CFD engineers.
  • Wind tunnel engineers.
  • Motorcycle aerodynamicists.
  • Meshing and pre-processing engineers.
  • Aerodynamic correlation engineers.
  • Wind tunnel model technicians.
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to join motorcycle manufacturers.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • SAE J2071 (aerodynamic testing of road vehicles, open-throat wind tunnel adjustment)
  • SAE J1594 (vehicle aerodynamics terminology)
  • ISO 8855 (vehicle dynamics and road-holding ability vocabulary)
  • ISO 5167-1 (measurement of fluid flow by pressure differential devices)
  • ASME V&V 20-2009 (verification and validation in computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer)
  • FIM Grand Prix Regulations (MotoGP technical regulations)
  • SAE J2084 (aerodynamic testing of road vehicles, testing methods and procedures)
  • ISO 3966 (measurement of fluid flow using Pitot static tubes)
  • ANSYS Fluent
  • Simcenter STAR-CCM+
  • OpenFOAM
  • ANSA
  • ParaView
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Navier-Stokes equations
  2. 1.2Boundary layer and separation
  3. 1.3Flow around bluff bodies
  4. 1.4Reynolds number in motorcycles
  5. 1.5Turbulence and scales
  6. 1.6Wakes and vortices
  7. 1.7Aerodynamic interference between motorcycle and rider
  8. 1.8Flow around rotating wheels
  9. 1.9Internal cooling flows
  10. 1.10Case study: flow analysis around a helmet
  1. 2.1CAD clean-up
  2. 2.2Rider modelling
  3. 2.3Rider postures
  4. 2.4Acceptable geometric simplifications
  5. 2.5Wheels and spokes
  6. 2.6Radiators as porous media
  7. 2.7Watertight surfaces for meshing
  8. 2.8Variant management
  9. 2.9Automation with scripts
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: preparing a motorcycle in ANSA
  1. 3.1Polyhedral and hexahedral meshes
  2. 3.2Prism layers near the wall
  3. 3.3Wake refinement
  4. 3.4Mesh quality
  5. 3.5Mesh independence studies
  6. 3.6Meshes for rotating wheels
  7. 3.7Moving meshes for wheels and rider
  8. 3.8Required computational resources
  9. 3.9Automated meshing with scripts
  10. 3.10Lab: mesh of a motorcycle with rider
  1. 4.1RANS and k-omega SST models
  2. 4.2Large eddy simulation (LES)
  3. 4.3Hybrid DES methods
  4. 4.4Boundary conditions
  5. 4.5Moving ground and wheels
  6. 4.6Discretisation schemes
  7. 4.7Numerical convergence criteria
  8. 4.8Transient flow simulations
  9. 4.9High-performance computing
  10. 4.10Practical exercise: comparison of turbulence models
  1. 5.1Force and moment coefficients
  2. 5.2Pressure distribution
  3. 5.3Wake visualisation
  4. 5.4Streamlines
  5. 5.5Q-criterion for vortices
  6. 5.6Delta analysis between variants
  7. 5.7Aerodynamic reports on variants
  8. 5.8Automated post-processing of results
  9. 5.9Visualisation in ParaView
  10. 5.10Workshop: report on a fairing variant
  1. 6.1Parametric design studies
  2. 6.2Mesh morphing
  3. 6.3Adjoint-method optimisation
  4. 6.4Response-surface optimisation
  5. 6.5Design constraints
  6. 6.6Air intake optimisation
  7. 6.7Winglet optimisation
  8. 6.8Management of large case sets
  9. 6.9Machine learning in CFD
  10. 6.10Lab: adjoint optimisation of a screen
  1. 7.1Types of tunnel
  2. 7.2Open and closed test sections
  3. 7.3Flow quality
  4. 7.4Blockage and corrections
  5. 7.5Moving ground and belts
  6. 7.6Climatic wind tunnels
  7. 7.7Tunnels for motorcycles
  8. 7.8Operating costs
  9. 7.9Safety of testing with a rider
  10. 7.10Case study: tunnel selection
  1. 8.1Six-component balances
  2. 8.2Surface pressure measurement
  3. 8.3Pitot probes and rakes
  4. 8.4Particle image velocimetry
  5. 8.5Smoke and oil-flow visualisation
  6. 8.6Measurement with a real rider
  7. 8.7Balance calibration
  8. 8.8Data acquisition
  9. 8.9Associated measurement uncertainty
  10. 8.10Lab: calibrating a balance
  1. 9.1Test protocol
  2. 9.2Rider positions
  3. 9.3Yaw sweeps
  4. 9.4Lean-angle tests
  5. 9.5Component tests
  6. 9.6Helmet tests
  7. 9.7Cooling tests
  8. 9.8Configuration management
  9. 9.9Tunnel productivity
  10. 9.10Practical exercise: wind tunnel test plan
  1. 10.1Sources of discrepancy
  2. 10.2Blockage corrections
  3. 10.3Real geometry versus CAD
  4. 10.4Pressure correlation
  5. 10.5Force correlation
  6. 10.6Validation according to ASME V&V 20
  7. 10.7Correction factors
  8. 10.8Improving the CFD model
  9. 10.9Communication of results
  10. 10.10Case study: correlation of a racing fairing
  1. 11.1Combining tools
  2. 11.2Planning tunnel hours
  3. 11.3CPU budget
  4. 11.4Workflow with design
  5. 11.5Aerodynamic databases
  6. 11.6Championship regulatory constraints
  7. 11.7Supplier management
  8. 11.8Process quality
  9. 11.9Continuous improvement cycle
  10. 11.10Workshop: development plan for a season
  1. 12.1Definition of the case study
  2. 12.2Geometry preparation
  3. 12.3Meshing and set-up
  4. 12.4Baseline simulation
  5. 12.5Variant study
  6. 12.6Wind tunnel test plan
  7. 12.7Correlation between CFD and testing
  8. 12.8Design conclusions
  9. 12.9Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training 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 you can combine the programme with your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ANSYS Fluent, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, ANSA and ParaView, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: CFD simulation of a motorcycle with its rider in different positions, a wind tunnel test with a six-component balance, and CFD-tunnel correlation of a fairing. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: SAE J2071, SAE J1594, ISO 8855, ISO 5167-1, ASME V&V 20-2009, FIM Grand Prix Regulations, SAE J2084, ISO 3966.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of SAE J2071, SAE J1594 and ISO 8855 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:ANSYS Fluent, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, ANSA and ParaView, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A combined CFD-tunnel aerodynamic study of a motorcycle, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Geometry and meshing
Prepare the motorcycle and rider geometry in ANSA and build the external-flow mesh.
Baseline simulation
Run the reference CFD case and compare turbulence models.
Variant optimisation
Study and optimise fairing variants with parametric and adjoint methods.
Tunnel test and correlation
Plan the wind tunnel test and correlate forces and pressures with CFD.
Master's Thesis
A combined CFD-tunnel aerodynamic study of a motorcycle, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

CFD engineerWind tunnel engineerMotorcycle aerodynamicistMeshing and pre-processing engineerAerodynamic correlation engineerWind tunnel model technician
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • 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.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with ANSYS Fluent, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, ANSA and ParaView, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), 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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