Frost Engineering & Consulting was enlisted to design initial retrofits and to develop the construction quality management plan for repairs at the Snowy Hydro Burrungubugge intake and draft tube in New South Wales, Australia. Constructed by drill and blast through granite, the intake and draft tube is a 6-ft diameter, 433-ft deep vertical shaft that siphons over 6000 gallons of water per second from Gungarlin and Burrungubugge Rivers into the Eucumbene-Snowy Tunnel, a critical part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme hydroelectric system.

Originally built in 1965, the tube had deteriorated significantly, and a retrofit was needed to restore function to the system. Initial retrofits included welded steel plate strong backs. Later work utilized fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) wrap, steel linings, and high-performance grouting, providing a unique combination of materials for installation warranting a comprehensive construction quality management plan. The Frost team provided the client with formal recommendations on quality and safety management methods including daily checklists to be implemented to ensure a safe work environment and quality construction based on global industry best practices during the retrofit process.