Robert Wallner joins HNTB’s national tunnel and underground team as principal engineer

HNTB’s growing tunnel team is working on many of the nation’s most complex and innovative tunnel projects

BELLEVUE, Wash. – Robert Wallner joined HNTB Corporation’s national tunnel practice as principal engineer and director, tunnels and underground structures. He is based in the firm’s Seattle-area office and serves as an accomplished resource to clients and projects across the nation.

With more than 25 years of experience, Wallner’s expertise includes design and construction supervision of foundation and underground projects in soil and rock utilizing sequential excavation method, tunnel boring machine and cut-and-cover methods. He also has extensive experience in quality assurance and quality control, material testing, and verification and validation of systems for compliance with various standards and specifications.

“Robert is recognized nationally and internationally for his outstanding technical skills as well as proven leadership ability on the most complex tunnel and underground projects,” said Sanja Zlatanic, PE, HNTB national tunnel practice chair, senior vice president and HNTB Fellow. “Adding him to the growing HNTB team brings another elevated level of expertise, experience and service to our private and public clients.”

Wallner previously served in project leadership roles for another consulting firm on California and Taiwan High Speed Rail Projects, Sound Transit Beacon Hill Station Project, and Caltrans Caldecott – 4^th Bore Project. He served as resident technical engineer on the Transport for London Crossrail Project and senior tunnel engineer on the New Jersey Transit Trans Hudson Express Tunnels. On all these projects, Wallner demonstrated superb technical skills and used innovative approaches to solve complex tasks related to excavation sequencing and initial and final supports design for complex underground structures. He has worked on more than 150 miles of tunnels in design and construction, from feasibility studies to detailed design, site supervision and claim management.

Wallner earned his MAS in business management from Salzburg University (Austria); M.Sc. in engineering management from Oakland University, MI; and M.Sc. in engineering geology from Technical University Graz/Karl-Franzens University Graz (Austria). He is a registered Consulting Engineer with the Austrian Association of Consulting Engineers and a member of the European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations.

As resourceful international expert, Wallner is active in several American, British and European professional organizations.

About HNTB 

HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With 106 years of service in the United States, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, and program and construction management. For more information, visit www.hntb.com, or follow HNTB on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.