Dr David Hight FREng FRS

David Hight is Senior Consultant and Founding Director of the Geotechnical Consulting Group, a company providing high level expertise in the field of geotechnical engineering and well-known for bridging the gap between research and engineering practice. He was a Lecturer at Imperial College between 1975 and 1983, and has been Visiting Professor at Imperial College (1993-2012), at the National University of Singapore (2000) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1983). He was elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2001.

He has synthesised the causes and effects of disturbance to soil samples and introduced methods to minimise sample disturbance and to assess sample quality. This has enabled him to become an expert in characterising the real behaviour of natural soils, including quantifying their scale of anisotropy of strength and stiffness.

Using this expertise David has specialised in forensic engineering, investigating geotechnical failures of tunnels, embankments, road pavements, and port constructions;work that has opened up new avenues of research and led to new approaches to design and construction, including participating in the introduction of compensation grouting.

Professional position

  • Senior Consultant, Geotechnical Consulting Group

Subject groups

  • Engineering

    Engineering, civil

Dr David Hight FREng FRS
Elected 2016