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Master'sDefense, Military Engineering & Land Systems Applications open

Master’s in Mobility, Counter-Mobility and Obstacles Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in mobility, counter-mobility and obstacle engineering: 12 modules covering vehicle mobility and terramechanics, applied geotechnics, hydraulics and gap crossing, obstacles and vehicle security barriers, protection of public spaces, route clearance, the legal and humanitarian framework, mobility simulation, terrain geoinformation and bridges, 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

Apply terramechanics to mobility prediction.

02

Characterise soils for vehicle traffic.

03

Design watercourse crossing solutions.

04

Analyse obstacles and barriers from a technical and regulatory standpoint.

05

Protect public spaces against vehicle threats.

06

Simulate vehicle-terrain interaction.

07

Assess the legal and humanitarian framework for obstacles.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Mobility engineers.
  • Geotechnical engineers.
  • Public space protection specialists.
  • Bridge engineers.
  • Geoinformation analysts.
  • Emergency engineers.
  • Engineering or science graduates aiming to work in defence and security.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • IWA 14-1 (vehicle security barriers: performance requirements)
  • ASTM F2656 (crash testing of vehicle security barriers)
  • ISO 22343 (vehicle security barriers)
  • STANAG 2021 (military load classification (MLC))
  • Ottawa Convention (prohibition of anti-personnel mines)
  • ASTM D2487 (Unified Soil Classification System, USCS)
  • ASTM D1883 (California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test)
  • HEC-RAS
  • Project Chrono
  • QGIS
  • SAP2000
  • SNAP (Sentinel)
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Vehicle-terrain mechanics
  2. 1.2Bekker and Wong terramechanics
  3. 1.3Cone index and mobility in soft soils
  4. 1.4NRMM mobility models
  5. 1.5Wheeled versus tracked vehicles
  6. 1.6Ground pressure and footprint
  7. 1.7Slopes, ditches and steps
  8. 1.8Mobility in snow and sand
  9. 1.9Mobility simulation
  10. 1.10Case study: mobility prediction with NRMM
  1. 2.1USCS soil classification
  2. 2.2Field tests: penetrometer and CBR
  3. 2.3Bearing capacity
  4. 2.4Soil stabilisation
  5. 2.5Geosynthetics
  6. 2.6Expansive and collapsible soils
  7. 2.7Permafrost and frozen soils
  8. 2.8Erosion and slope stability
  9. 2.9Laboratory tests
  10. 2.10Lab: CBR test and its interpretation
  1. 3.1Catchment hydrology
  2. 3.2Flows and floods
  3. 3.3River channel hydraulics
  4. 3.4Fordability and riverbeds
  5. 3.5Scour at supports
  6. 3.6Floating crossing equipment
  7. 3.7Short-span bridges
  8. 3.8Hydraulic modelling with HEC-RAS
  9. 3.9Risks and safety
  10. 3.10Practical: modelling a river channel with HEC-RAS
  1. 4.1Natural obstacles and their assessment
  2. 4.2Artificial obstacles: types
  3. 4.3Effectiveness of obstacles against vehicles
  4. 4.4Vehicle security barriers
  5. 4.5IWA 14 and ASTM F2656 crash tests
  6. 4.6Design of bollards and barriers
  7. 4.7Urban integration of barriers
  8. 4.8Regulatory and ethical approach
  9. 4.9Environmental impact
  10. 4.10Workshop: barrier selection based on crash tests
  1. 5.1Protecting public spaces against vehicles
  2. 5.2EU Action Plan to protect public spaces
  3. 5.3Vulnerability analysis of venues
  4. 5.4Impact speed and trajectories
  5. 5.5Secure urban design (CPTED)
  6. 5.6Temporary barriers for events
  7. 5.7Accessibility and evacuation
  8. 5.8Coordination with authorities
  9. 5.9Evaluation of solutions
  10. 5.10Case study: protection of a pedestrian zone
  1. 6.1Route clearance after disasters
  2. 6.2Debris management
  3. 6.3Clearance plant
  4. 6.4Road repair
  5. 6.5Assessment of damaged structures
  6. 6.6Restoration of crossings
  7. 6.7Route prioritisation
  8. 6.8Personnel safety
  9. 6.9Inter-agency coordination
  10. 6.10Practical: route clearance plan after an earthquake
  1. 7.1International humanitarian law and obstacles
  2. 7.2Ottawa Convention
  3. 7.3Amended Protocol II of the CCW
  4. 7.4Protection of the environment in armed conflict
  5. 7.5Explosive remnants and obstacles
  6. 7.6Responsibility for removal
  7. 7.7Civil regulations on barriers
  8. 7.8Professional ethics
  9. 7.9Historical cases
  10. 7.10Workshop: legal analysis of obstacles in a conflict
  1. 8.1Physics-based mobility models
  2. 8.2Multibody vehicle simulation
  3. 8.3Discrete elements for soils
  4. 8.4Vehicle-terrain simulation software
  5. 8.5GIS-based mobility maps
  6. 8.6Route optimisation
  7. 8.7Experimental validation
  8. 8.8Terrain uncertainty
  9. 8.9Visualisation
  10. 8.10Lab: vehicle-terrain simulation with Chrono
  1. 9.1Geospatial data sources
  2. 9.2Digital elevation models
  3. 9.3Land cover classification
  4. 9.4Optical and radar remote sensing
  5. 9.5Airborne LiDAR
  6. 9.6Slope and roughness analysis
  7. 9.7Infrastructure databases
  8. 9.8GIS integration
  9. 9.9Geoinformation quality
  10. 9.10Case study: natural obstacle map with Sentinel-2
  1. 10.1Steel modular bridges
  2. 10.2Aluminium and composite bridges
  3. 10.3MLC load classification
  4. 10.4Design of beams and decks
  5. 10.5Temporary foundations
  6. 10.6Assembly and launching
  7. 10.7Inspection and maintenance
  8. 10.8Design codes
  9. 10.9Bridges in humanitarian aid
  10. 10.10Practical: deck calculation with SAP2000
  1. 11.1Engineering planning
  2. 11.2Resource and materials management
  3. 11.3Costs of temporary works
  4. 11.4Project management
  5. 11.5Sustainability
  6. 11.6Civil-military coordination
  7. 11.7Training of specialists
  8. 11.8Lessons learned
  9. 11.9Technology trends
  10. 11.10Workshop: resource plan for an emergency works project
  1. 12.1Definition of the scenario
  2. 12.2Mobility analysis
  3. 12.3Geotechnical analysis
  4. 12.4Design of a crossing or barrier solution
  5. 12.5Simulation and verification
  6. 12.6Legal and ethical assessment
  7. 12.7Execution plan
  8. 12.8Conclusions and recommendations
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis 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 the intake, so you can combine it with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is HEC-RAS, Project Chrono, QGIS, SAP2000 and SNAP (Sentinel), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for predicting vehicle mobility in soft soils, hydraulic modelling of river channels and barrier selection based on crash tests. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: IWA 14-1, ASTM F2656, ISO 22343, STANAG 2021, Ottawa Convention, ASTM D2487, ASTM D1883.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of IWA 14-1, ASTM F2656 and ISO 22343 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:HEC-RAS, Project Chrono, QGIS, SAP2000 and SNAP (Sentinel), in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete mobility, crossing or barrier solution for a real scenario, from mobility and geotechnical analysis to design, simulation and the execution plan, 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.

Scenario and mobility analysis
Define the scenario and predict vehicle mobility using terramechanics and NRMM.
Geotechnical analysis
Characterise the soils with USCS classification and CBR testing.
Crossing or barrier design
Design a crossing solution or a vehicle security barrier for the scenario.
Simulation and verification
Verify the design through hydraulic, structural or vehicle-terrain simulation.
Master's Thesis
The complete solution with legal assessment and execution plan, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Mobility EngineerGeotechnical EngineerPublic Space Protection SpecialistBridge EngineerGeoinformation AnalystEmergency Engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • Internet connection and a computer able to run 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 HEC-RAS, Project Chrono, QGIS, SAP2000 and SNAP (Sentinel), 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 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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