Diamond Pet Foods transformed a greenfield site in Rushville, Indiana into a nearly $260M, 700,000 SF manufacturing and distribution facility.

Geotechnical Engineering

SME provided geotechnical engineering services, including a subsurface exploration program consisting of 68 soil borings, groundwater observations, laboratory testing, and engineering evaluations. SME developed recommendations for earthwork, engineered fill, shallow and deep foundations, slabs-on-grade, retaining structures, site grading, and pavement support conditions across the large industrial campus.

Construction Materials Services

SME supported quality assurance throughout site development and building construction. Services included testing and observation of site fill and foundation bearing soils, concrete foundations and slabs, masonry, structural steel, utility trench backfill, pavement subgrades, asphalt paving, waterproofing systems, and roofing components. SME also supported the project team with field verification of geotechnical recommendations and evaluation of unsuitable soils encountered during construction.

Building Materials Consulting

Following construction, SME provided materials consulting services to evaluate reported slab-on-ground cracking. The scope included a visual assessment, documentation of crack patterns, concrete coring, optional petrographic analysis, and evaluation of potential causes and repair recommendations. This work helped support the long-term performance and maintenance of the facility’s concrete infrastructure.

Through integrated geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, and materials consulting services, SME supported the development and ongoing performance of one of the largest private industrial investments in rural Indiana, helping deliver a complex manufacturing facility from initial site characterization through post-construction evaluation.