diff --git a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/Make/files b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/Make/files
index 56e02fe21d..dc9a22e209 100644
--- a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/Make/files
+++ b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/Make/files
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ mag/mag.C
 vorticity/vorticity.C
 Q/Q.C
 Lambda2/Lambda2.C
+flowType/flowType.C
 CourantNo/CourantNo.C
 PecletNo/PecletNo.C
 blendingFactor/blendingFactor.C
diff --git a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/flowType/flowType.C b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/flowType/flowType.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d282617778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/flowType/flowType.C
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "flowType.H"
+#include "fvcGrad.H"
+#include "addToRunTimeSelectionTable.H"
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Static Data Members * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+namespace Foam
+{
+namespace functionObjects
+{
+    defineTypeNameAndDebug(flowType, 0);
+
+    addToRunTimeSelectionTable
+    (
+        functionObject,
+        flowType,
+        dictionary
+    );
+}
+}
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::functionObjects::flowType::flowType
+(
+    const word& name,
+    const Time& runTime,
+    const dictionary& dict
+)
+:
+    fieldExpression(name, runTime, dict, "U", "flowType")
+{}
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Destructor  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::functionObjects::flowType::~flowType()
+{}
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+bool Foam::functionObjects::flowType::execute(const bool postProcess)
+{
+    if (foundField<volVectorField>(fieldName_))
+    {
+        const volVectorField& U = lookupField<volVectorField>(fieldName_);
+        const tmp<volTensorField> tgradU(fvc::grad(U));
+        const volTensorField& gradU = tgradU();
+
+        volScalarField magD(mag(symm(gradU)));
+        volScalarField magOmega (mag(skew(gradU)));
+        dimensionedScalar smallMagD("smallMagD", magD.dimensions(), SMALL);
+
+        const volTensorField SSplusWW
+        (
+            (symm(gradU) & symm(gradU))
+          + (skew(gradU) & skew(gradU))
+        );
+
+        return store
+        (
+            resultName_,
+            (magD - magOmega)/(magD + magOmega + smallMagD)
+        );
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/flowType/flowType.H b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/flowType/flowType.H
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f73e82b732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/field/flowType/flowType.H
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+Class
+    Foam::functionObjects::flowType
+
+Group
+    grpFieldFunctionObjects
+
+Description
+    This function object calculates and writes the flowType of a velocity field.
+
+    The flow type parameter is obtained according to the following equation:
+    \verbatim
+                 |D| - |Omega|
+        lambda = -------------
+                 |D| + |Omega|
+
+        -1 = rotational flow
+         0 = simple shear flow
+         1 = planar extensional flow
+    \endverbatim
+
+SeeAlso
+    Foam::functionObjects::fieldExpression
+    Foam::functionObjects::fvMeshFunctionObject
+
+SourceFiles
+    flowType.C
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#ifndef functionObjects_flowType_H
+#define functionObjects_flowType_H
+
+#include "fieldExpression.H"
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+namespace Foam
+{
+namespace functionObjects
+{
+
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+                          Class flowType Declaration
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+class flowType
+:
+    public fieldExpression
+{
+
+public:
+
+    //- Runtime type information
+    TypeName("flowType");
+
+
+    // Constructors
+
+        //- Construct from Time and dictionary
+        flowType
+        (
+            const word& name,
+            const Time& runTime,
+            const dictionary& dict
+        );
+
+
+    //- Destructor
+    virtual ~flowType();
+
+
+    // Member Functions
+
+        //- Calculate the flowType field
+        virtual bool execute(const bool postProcess = false);
+};
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+} // End namespace functionObjects
+} // End namespace Foam
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+#endif
+
+// ************************************************************************* //