Fabio Matta – The new Low Battery Seawall in Charleston, SC | NEx Workshop

🎤 Speaker: Dr. Fabio Matta, University of South Carolina 📍 Presented at the NEx Workshop during the ACI Concrete Convention 📌 Rosemont, IL – April 1, 2026 This session is part of the NEx Workshop, hosted by NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials, focused on “The Effect of Nonmetallic Building Materials on the Sustainability of Concrete Structures.” The ideas expressed in this seminar are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of NEx, ACI, or its committees. The City of Charleston has recently completed the reconstruction of the Low Battery reinforced concrete (RC) seawall, which protects the historic waterfront against storm surge along over 4800 ft of western edge of the downtown peninsula. Reconstruction became necessary because of the deterioration of the original seawall, including widespread damage due to corrosion of the steel reinforcement. In fact, the City opted for glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars to reinforce the new concrete seawall in pursuit of its sustainability and resiliency goals. This presentation showcases this first large-scale GFRP RC public infrastructure project in South Carolina by offering an overview of: (i) objectives, including ensuring longevity, minimizing maintenance, and providing protection against sea level rise; (ii) design and detailing; and (iii) first cost and constructability, which proved important for the owner, designer, and contractor’s adoption of an appealing but unfamiliar technology. To earn continuing education credits, visit ACI University. Learn More: nonmetallic.org 👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on nonmetallic innovation and sustainable infrastructure.