Professor Broch was born in Arendal, Norway 01.05.1938. Graduated as civil engineer (M.Sc. equiv.) from the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) in 1961, obtained a M.Sc. in Engineering Rock Mechanics from Imperial College of Science and Technology, London in 1971 and a Doctor Ingeniør in Engineering Geology from Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1977. Associate professor of Geological Engineering in 1972, full professor 1984-2008 at Norwegian University of Science and Technology,(NTNU). He was the dean of Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences 1996-98 and is an elected member of the Norwegian Academy of Technical Sciences in 1986. Professor Broch was the past President of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA), 1986-89. He was a Member of the Executive Council from 1979-92. He was a senior editor of "Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology", Elsevier, 1986 – 2011 & Co-editor of proceedings from six international symposia. Author or co-author of more than 100 published scientific papers. Professor Broch has given lectures at universities and/or in professional societies in twelve countries in Europe, several states in USA, in Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Egypt, Morocco, South-Africa, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Japan, South-Korea and Australia.

Professor Broch has as consultant and technical advisor participated in the design and construction of a wide variety of projects, mainly related to tunnelling and underground works. He has been sole engineering geological consultant and advisor to all phases of planning and construction for more than 10 Norwegian hydropower projects, and has carried out pre-investigations and/or given advice on support and rock improvement for another 15 hydropower schemes. Other Norwegian projects are approximately 25 road tunnels with lengths from 100 m to more than 5 km, 4 water storage caverns, 2 water supply tunnels and 5 other caverns in rock.

His activities outside Norway have focused on investigations and design advice have been given to hydropower projects in Iceland (Blanda and Fljotsdal), USA (Tyee Lake), Nepal (Andhi Khola), China (Ming Tombs, Xiaolangdi, Baise, Jinkang, Mugeceo, Nuozhadu), Chile (La Higuera, La Confluencia, Alto Maipo), Colombia (Chivor, Mesitas, Guavio and La Miel II), Sri Lanka (Kukule Ganga), Malaysia (Bakun), Laos (Nam Leuk), Germany (Goldisthal), Iran (Masjed-e-Soleiman), Italy (Pont Ventoux), to water supply tunnels in Colombia (Chingaza) and Nepal (Melamchi), to a highway tunnel in Canada, and to metro tunnels in Taiwan (Taipei).