Supervisory Panel of Experts - Member

Dr. Nick Barton Civil Engineer and Rock Mechanics Specialist

Dr. Nick Barton is one of the most influential engineers of our time. With a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from King’s College, University of London (1966), and a Ph.D. in Rock Mechanics from Imperial College, London (1971), he brings over 50 years of experience across 41 countries, specializing in rock mechanics and engineering. His work has primarily focused on hydropower tunnels, metro and motorway tunnels, rock slope stability, dam abutment characterization, and nuclear waste disposal research, with notable projects in the U.S., U.K., and Sweden. A pioneer in his field, Barton is known for developing the Q-system for rock mass characterization (1974) and the Barton-Bandis criterion for rock joints (1973/1982), as well as empirical methods related to the Q-system, such as the QTBM prognosis method (1999), QSLOPE (2015), and QH2O (2007).
Barton’s professional career includes his work at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), where he held positions ranging from Senior Engineer to Division Director and Technical Advisor from 1971 to 1999. Between 1980 and 1984, he also served in senior roles in TerraTek’s Geomechanics Division in Salt Lake City. Since 2000, Barton has managed his own consultancy, Nick Barton & Associates, with a presence in Norway and Brazil, and he continues as a Senior International Consultant for NGI. He has delivered approximately 50 keynote lectures at international conferences, addressing rock engineering and tunneling topics across various continents.
In Latin America, and particularly in Peru, Dr. Barton has left a significant legacy, acting as a consultant in major infrastructure and energy projects. His experience in Peru includes advisory roles in constructing the Tronera Sur Dam and the Trans-Andean Tunnel in high geotechnical risk mountain areas, contributing rock engineering and stability solutions tailored to the complexities of Peruvian geography. His collaboration in evaluating underground structures and dam abutments in the Peruvian context has been essential in enhancing the safety and efficiency of these projects, meeting challenges posed by seismic activity and the region’s geological composition.
Barton’s academic contributions are substantial, with over 350 published articles and two books on TBM tunneling and rock quality. He is currently co-authoring a textbook on rock engineering, focusing on discontinuum behaviour. Recognized for his achievements, he has received numerous awards, including the ISRM Müller Award, and was honoured with a Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Cordoba in Argentina (2004). He is also an ISRM Fellow and has served as an adjunct professor at various institutions, including the University of Utah and São Paulo University. His expertise remains in high demand for consultancy roles in landmark projects, such as the Rogun Dam in Tajikistan, metro and railway projects in Stockholm and Jerusalem, and the extensive Ituango hydroelectric project in Colombia.