The dynamic development of a meat processing plant led to the need for a significant increase in production capacity. Part of the industrial infrastructure development project involved installing a water tank. The tank capacity was 1,216,000 litres.

Cause:
The underlying soils, to a depth of two metres beneath the planned foundation, did not have sufficient bearing capacity, which threatened the destruction of the tank. Additionally, the task was complicated by the fact that a reinforced concrete drainage pipe ran under the planned location for the water tank.

Smithfield Foods engineers engaged Uretek specialists to carry out soil compaction work. Analysis of the situation helped the specialists find a suitable solution – namely, deep soil injection using the URETEK method. This high‑tech process involves injecting a polymer material into the soil to increase its bearing capacity. The specialists carried out injection on a coordinate grid (see photo below) to increase bearing capacity, and also compacted the soils along the drainage pipe running under the planned tank location. Once soil compaction was completed, the site owners were able to install the water tank on it. Eight months after project completion, the tank is in regular use and settlement is minimal.