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Employee Profiles: Principals
William R. Cotton
 President
Chief Engineering Geologist
Registration
Registered Geologist in California, RG 3047
Certified Engineering Geologist in California, CEG 882
Education
M.S., Geology: San Jose State University, California,
1967
B.A., Geology: San Jose State University, California, 1962
Areas of Specialty
Investigation and repair of unstable hillsides;
seismic site assessment; geotechnical peer review; utilization of
geotechnical data in the community development process; litigation
and mediation support
Representative Experience
Mr. Cotton has over four decades of professional
experience in the field of engineering geology. He has performed
and coordinated numerous geologic and geotechnical investigations,
associated with a broad spectrum of land-use applications, ranging
from site specific studies to broad, regional investigations. He
has conducted or supervised hundreds of significant landslide and
slope stability investigations throughout California and Hawaii.
He has studied landslides internationally, participating in field
workshops on landslides in Japan, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand,
Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Czech
Republic, Slovak Republic, Spain and England, as well as being retained
by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Government of China to
study landslides affecting (or affected by) the Three Gorges Dam
project in the People's Republic of China. His extensive experience
throughout California, and continual participation in scientific
research, as well as private consultation, make him uniquely qualified
to provide general guidance, as well as specific information, on
projects conducted throughout the state. He has held the position
of Consulting Professor of Engineering Geology in the Department
of Applied Earth Sciences at Stanford University.
Mr. Cotton provides consultation to a diverse
clientele, including governmental and other public agencies, utilities,
municipalities, engineering and architectural firms, private property
owners, and prospective developers. He is currently providing consultation
to the County of Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency
regarding the influence of geotechnical conditions on ground settlement
associated with subway tunnel construction, and associated impacts
on existing structures. In addition, he is providing consultation
to Pacific Gas & Electric Company and the City and County of
Honolulu regarding methods of assessing and stabilizing unstable
hillslopes. He recently served as the Lead Geologist; responsible
for evaluating fault activity and associated seismic parameters,
in the preliminary design study for a roller compacted concrete
dam on the Carmel River in Monterey County, California.
Mr. Cotton has studied the impacts of landslides
and seismic hazards for his entire career, including post-earthquake
observations and investigations following the 1971 San Fernando,
1983 Coalinga, 1984 Morgan Hill, and 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
He continues to be active in geologic research, and has performed
numerous detailed surface and subsurface geologic investigations
of active and potentially active faults, with the support of the
U.S. Geological Survey, to determine the size and recurrence interval
of late Quaternary earthquakes.
Professional History
President, Principal Engineering Geologist, 1974
- Present; Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc., Los Gatos, California
Stanford University, Consulting Professor of Engineering Geology,
Department of Applied Earth Sciences, 1990 - 1993
Geologist, 1970 –1972; U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Western
Environmental Geology, Menlo Park, California
Senior Engineering Geologic Consultant, 1964 - 1970; Leighton and
Associates, Inc., Irvine, California
Appointments
Distinguished Practice Award 2001, Engineering
Geology Division, Geological Society of America
Distinguished Leadership Award 2000, International Landslide Research
Group
Landslide Specialist, U. S. Board of Reclamation, Three Gorges Dam
Project, Wuhan, China
Landslide Committee, Geological Society of America
National Committee on Landslides, Association of Engineering Geologists
Downhole Logging Subcommittee Association of Engineering Geologists
Field Conference Committee for the 1989 International Geologic Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Editor, International Landslide Research Group Newsletter
Professional Affiliations
Association of Engineering Geologists
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
American Society of Civil Engineers
Geological Society of America
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Publications and Research
Author or co-author of more than 50 technical
publications and abstracts (publication list is available on request)
Expert Testimony
Court appearances in Federal and Superior
Courts; depositions; settlement/mediation conference presentations
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