DAVID PICCOLO

David Piccolo is a Principal Geotechnical Engineer at PSM with 25 years of experience delivering complex geotechnical solutions across civil, mining, transport and urban redevelopment projects in Australia and internationally. He has worked on a wide range of projects involving major earthworks, deep fill and excavation, retained structures, rock cuttings, slope stability, tunnelling and dam engineering. David has taken lead geotechnical roles on some of Australia’s most significant infrastructure projects. He is an experienced geotechnical expert witness and forensic engineer, having prepared numerous expert reports for legal proceedings, insurers and peer review, and providing expert evidence.

David graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2000 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (First Class Honours) and later completed a Master of Engineering Science in Geotechnical Engineering at UNSW.

David has strong professional interests in the management of geotechnical risk on large and complex projects, particularly where development is proposed over difficult or disturbed ground such as deep fill, mine workings, tailings facilities and former quarries. He also has a keen interest in forensic geotechnical engineering, groundwater and ground structure interactions.

David is a Member of Engineers Australia and holds NER (Civil) and RPEQ accreditation. He has published several technical papers and presented at professional conferences. His Experiences with post-construction retesting of engineered clay fills, co-authored with B Burman and G Mostyn, received the 2008 Best Paper in Australia for Geomechanics from the Australia for Geomechanics Society and the prestigious 2009 Warren Medal from the Civil College of Engineers Australia.

David’s fields of special competence include:

• Geotechnical site investigations
• Earthworks design and construction
• Development over deep fills
• Forensic geotechnical engineering
• Groundwater for civil structures
• Geotechnical risk assessment
• Geotechnical failure assessment
• Water-retaining structures and tailings