Created in association with the NC State Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and the Constructed Facilities Lab, this year’s Paul Zia Memorial Lecture spotlighted the design and construction of the Harkers Island Bridge Replacement in Carteret County, NC. The event featured lectures from Trey Carroll, engineer with the NC Department of Transportation; Peter D. Distefano, Operations Manager at Balfour Beatty Infrastructure; and Dr. Rudi Searcino, a Paul and Dora Zia Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering.

The Harkers Island Bridge replacement is not only important to the state of North Carolina, it has close ties to NC State University.

“This year’s lecture presents cutting edge work in prestressed concrete technology that has been studied and tested right here at NC State University in the Constructive Facilities Lab,” said Leo Barcley, chair of the 2025 Paul Zia Memorial Committee. “And Dr. Zia was instrumental in the creation of the facility almost 30 years ago.” 

Paul Zia

A former professor and department head of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Dr. Paul Zia was a Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering and an Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Emeritus. Dr. Zia’s research, influential leadership and overall impact in the field of structural engineering cannot be overstated. 

Over the course of his 50 year career, Dr. Zia was dedicated to teaching, research and consulting in areas spanning structural design and construction. His primary interests included concrete materials, as well as mild, reinforced and pre-stressed concrete structures. 

The annual series honors Dr. Zia for his lasting research contributions, which stand as a testament to the success and prestige of NC State’s civil, construction, and environmental engineering programs. 

Harkers Island Bridge Replacement

The Harkers Island Bridge replaced two aging bridges slated for replacement, the Earl C. David Memorial Bridge and Bridge No. 96, that once connected the island to the mainland. The new bridge enhances access to and from the island during emergencies and hurricane evacuations, while also reducing congestion and delays for marine traffic and motorists. 

The project marked a milestone for North Carolina as the first concrete bridge in the state that is entirely reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) prestressed strands. Corrosion-resistant materials are well-suited for coastal environments like that of Harkers Island, and help ensure a longer life span and less maintenance. 

“At the time of the construction of this bridge, it was among the biggest in the world and is a significant piece of infrastructure. Tests that have been done on bridge decks using FRP materials around the country show that we have a 100 year design lifespan,” said Rudi Seracino, a Paul and Dora Zia Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. 

Construction of the 3,200 foot-long fixed -span bridge began in July 2021, and it officially opened to traffic in December 2023.