Dr Harald Wagner

Harald Wagner has received his M.Sc. in Civil Engineering in 1970 from Technical University (TUG) of Graz, Austria. He obtained his initial postgraduate experience in Foundation Engineering with Prof. Karl Steinfeld in Hamburg, Germany. His academic career included the position as Assistant Professor at TUG's chair for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling. He obtained his PhD in 1974 in Geotechnical Engineering for contributions on stabilization of landslides in soft ground. His postdoctoral training included teachings on "Soil Mechanics for Architects" at TUG, Austria.

In 1975 he became deputy director in construction for planning and design of underground mass transit project in Bochum, Germany, where he pioneered urban mined tunnel technologies. In 1976 he became the technical director in design and construction for all underground works in Innsbruck, where he worked for more than 10 years. In the course of this work period, he experienced Drill & Blast as well as TBM construction of major highway tunnels and hydro tunnels in all types of ground in Austria and Germany.

In 1985 he established a consulting company in partnership in Linz/Austria. For the next 25 years he worked as managing director and chief professional engineer, and expanded the company in Europe, in both Americas and in Asia. He worked on mined underground infrastructures in Austria, Japan, Mexico and USA, with emphasis on innovative solutions. He globally transferred European Tunneling Practice e.g., for WMATA's Wheaton Station in Washington/USA, the first mined soft ground metro station in North America.

Harald Wagner is recognized for his pioneering works in mined infrastructures. He has received multiple international awards including from the Austrian President. He was working as an ITA EXCO Vice President, as a long-term ITA EXCO Expert, as well as an Animateur and Tutor within several ITA working groups, sharing his professional experience in underground infrastructures globally with the tunneling industry and with universities among others in Germany, Italy, Iran, USA, Thailand, China and Colombia.