Synlait Milk Ltd

Date: June 2011 – July 2013

Engineer: Babbage Consultants

Epoxy Contractor: BBR Contech

Synlait Milk processing plant was constructed in 2008 and in September 2010, less than two years later, the complex was given a stern test in the form of a 7.1 magnitude rupture of the Greendale Fault Line. The epicenter of this large event was just 16km from Synlait factory with ground accelerations over 0.5g horizontal and 1.0g vertical exceeding the design level shaking for a 1 in 500 year event – Seismic design standard NZS 1170.5:2004.

Reported damage to the structure included cracking to the floor slabs, precast concrete wall cladding panels and precast concrete shear wall panels and BBR Contech was engaged to carry out the specialist remedial crack injection repairs.

Working within the confines of a functioning dairy factory has many challenges such as heat (steam), confined spaces, a labyrinth of pipes to negotiate, and noise to name but a few physical extremes. Additional to this is the critical hygiene procedures under the Animal Products Act 1996 that need to be followed rigorously every time you enter or exit the building.

Epoxy injection repairs to the exterior walls provided additional challenges such as weather and wind extremes with work carried out using a combination of scaffold and swing stage access.

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