NJDOT’s Pilot Program for Internally Cured High Performance Concrete for Bridge Decks – FHWA Webinar

On August 27, 2025, the FHWA hosted a webinar titled “NJDOT’s Pilot Program for Internally Cured High Performance Concrete for Bridge Decks.” NJDOT Project Manager and Infrastructure Preservation CIA team lead Samer Rabie presented the department’s internally cured concrete (ICC) initiative.

The webinar highlighted NJDOT’s work as a case study for more than 300 participants nationwide, enabling agencies to learn from New Jersey’s experience with ICC and consider applications in their own states. After Mr. Rabie’s presentation, attendees asked questions about the EPIC2 initiative, including advice on how to achieve even water distribution, the expected life span of High Performance Internally Cured Concrete (HPIC) bridge decks, and whether internal curing techniques could be applied to other types of concrete.

Webinar Presentation

Transverse early-age cracking

As part of Round 6 of the Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative, NJDOT began implementing Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) for Bridge Preservation and Repair, with plans to institutionalize its use in the upcoming bridge design manual. UHPC’s low water-cement ratio and high use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) increase durability and extend service life, but also raise the risk of transverse early age cracking. This cracking results from autogenous shrinkage, when the cement consumes too much internal water, creating capillary stresses.

Cracks in UHPC bridge decks require costly, time-intensive sealing that must be reapplied every five to ten years, significantly increasing life-cycle costs. To address this issue, FHWA launched the Enhancing Performance with Internally Cured Concrete (EPIC2) initiative under EDC-7. Internal curing uses pre-wetted lightweight fine aggregate (LWFA) to supply additional moisture, improving water distribution and offsetting capillary stresses during the curing process. More than 30 years of studies show that internal curing enhances durability, lowers costs, and reduces waste.

Over 180 EPIC2 Bridge Decks are in service according to FHWA

To date, more than 15 states have deployed internal curing on over 180 bridge decks. NYSDOT, an early adopter of HPIC, reported a 70 percent reduction in early-age cracking with no added cost compared to conventional HPC or UHPC decks. NYSDOT has since mandated internal curing for all continuous bridges and bridge decks statewide. In May 2024, Mr. Rabie participated in a New York State peer exchange on the EPIC2 initiative in Albany.

NJDOT launched its HPIC implementation plan by reviewing existing research, assessing resources and mix plants, and conducting extensive coordination—internally with subject matter experts and divisions, and externally with LWFA suppliers, producers, and contractors. NJDOT also conducted risk evaluations and identified candidate bridges for potential pilot projects.

To support implementation, NJDOT secured a $125,000 STIC Incentive Grant, which funded the purchase of centrifuge apparatuses, staff training, and third-party lab support. The centrifuges measure LWFA moisture content, replacing the traditional “paper towel method,” in which pre-wetted aggregate is weighed, dried manually with industrial-grade paper towels until no moisture remains, and then oven-dried before an assessment is made of surface and absorbed moisture. While the centrifuge approach requires specialized equipment and training, it is significantly faster, less labor-intensive, and more accurate. NJDOT will phase in this method as staff gain experience.

NJDOT has identified 11 candidate bridges for HPIC pilot projects: one under construction, eight in design, and two in concept development. The active pilot—North Munn Avenue over I-280 in East Orange—features twin bridge decks, one built with UHPC and the other with HPIC, enabling a direct comparison under similar conditions.

Twin bridge deck pilot at North Munn Avenue over I-280 in East Orange

Alongside pilot projects, NJDOT is developing materials and construction guide specifications for HPIC. These include substituting 30–50 percent of total fine aggregate with LWFA, establishing a formula to measure absorbed LWFA moisture, and targeting a water content equal to 7 percent of the volume of cementitious materials. Aside from these adjustments, HPIC batching mirrors current UHPC practices.

Early HPIC bridge decks are expected to carry added upfront costs: approximately $50,000 for new mix design, trial batches, and test slabs to validate the process before construction, plus a 20–40 percent increase in unit production costs. Mr. Rabie noted that costs should decrease as specifications are refined, experience grows, and economies of scale take effect.  While initial expenses may be higher, HPIC is projected to deliver substantially lower life-cycle costs, primarily by reducing resealing, which can cost around $100,000.

NJDOT’s next steps include a concrete plant outreach program in fall 2025, followed by HPIC workshops and centrifuge training in winter 2025/2026. The department will also continue to assess potential pilot projects through 2025–2026 and monitor the performance of active HPIC bridge deck projects.

Q&A

Q. Will HPIC extend the expected 25-year life span of a bridge deck?

A. The study is assessing how much maintenance HPIC bridge decks require over a 25-year lifespan. Preliminary findings suggest HPIC decks may require only about one-third the maintenance of conventional decks. NJDOT’s Bureau of Research, Innovation, and Information Transfer (BRIIT), in partnership with Rutgers University, is conducting a separate study evaluating how HPIC could extend overall service life. Early findings from NYSDOT suggest HPIC bridge decks may last up to 75 years.

Q. In South Carolina, we have faced difficulties achieving a uniform distribution of moisture for our pre-wetted lightweight fine aggregate using conventional methods like sprinklers. Do you have any suggestions on ways to fix this issue?

A. Some states have tried alternative methods for wetting LWFA. In Louisiana, for example, large bins are filled with water—like a small pool—and the aggregate is soaked for a set period to ensure uniform moisture distribution, rather than using sprinklers.

Q. Can internal curing be used on conventional concrete or is it just for HPC and UHPC?

A. Internal curing could technically be applied to conventional Class A concrete, but it is generally unnecessary. Class A concrete already contains higher water content, reducing its susceptibility to autogenous cracking. UHPC, being relatively moisture starved, benefits most from internal curing.

Q. Does NJDOT have set shrinkage limits?

A. Shrinkage is assessed project-by-project. After crack mapping is completed, a percentage of shrinkage is calculated, but there is no set limit.


A recording of the FHWA webinar is available here.

For more about HPIC and EPIC2, read the NJDOT Tech Transfer Q&A article with Samer Rabie and Jess Mendenhall.

Careers in Gear Summer Webinar Series (EDC-7 Strategic Workforce Development)

In summer 2025, the FHWA Every Day Counts (EDC)-7 Strategic Workforce Development (SWD) team hosted the Careers in Gear Summer Series—a webinar series highlighting innovative workforce development programs and success stories from across the country.

Featuring real-world examples and conversations with skilled trades professionals, program leaders, and other industry innovators, the series spotlighted practical strategies to strengthen the construction workforceand help build the infrastructure of tomorrow.


Dates and Times

July 23 | 1:00-2:00 PM: Training Success Stories
A webinar hosted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts-7 Strategic Workforce Development (SWD) team featuring short videos and real-world examples of training programs that are making a difference.

The speakers included:

  • Marguerite Givings (Wisconsin Department of Transportation)
  • Rich Granger (DriveOhio)
  • Liam Murphy (Teaching the Autism Community Trades)
  • Charlie McCullough (Indiana Constructors Inc)
  • Marjani Rollins (Caltrans)
  • Airton Kohls (University of Tennessee)

August 6 | 1:00-2:00 PM: Fireside Chat on Youth Development Programs
A dynamic fireside chat exploring how youth development programs are building pathways into transportation and skilled trades careers, with insights from leaders driving innovative workforce initiatives across the country.

The speakers included:

  • Lisa Rose (Mineta Transportation Institute)
  • Rich Granger (DriveOhio)
  • Dr. Stephanie Ivey (University of Memphis Southeast Transportation Workforce Center)

September 3 | 1:00-2:00 PM: CDL Training That Works
Discover what’s driving success in Commercial Driver License training programs through first-hand insights from the changemakers behind the scenes.

The speakers included:

  • Antoine Smith-Rouse, Gateway Community & Technical College
  • Thomas Praytor, Bishop State Community College
  • Lindsey Trent, Next Generation in Trucking Association

Strategic Workforce Development Resources

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development in NJ: An Interview with the IUOE Local 825 | NJDOT T2

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development in NJ: An Interview with Hudson County Community College | NJDOT T2

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development in NJ: An Interview with the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey | NJDOT T2

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development: An Interview with NJDOT’s Human Resources | NJDOT T2

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development: An Interview with the Office of Apprenticeship, NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) | NJDOT T2

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development: NJDOT’s Youth Corps Urban Gateway Enhancement Program | NJDOT T2

Strategic Workforce Development Online Recordings & Presentations | NJDOT T2

Strategic Workforce Development: A Follow-Up Conversation with Hudson County Community College and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 | NJDOT T2

Get Oriented with EDC-5 Innovations – Webinars and Baseline Report

In June 2018, FHWA announced the fifth round of Every Day Counts Innovations (EDC-5). From September 10-26, 2018, the agency held Orientation Webinars, 90-minute sessions to introduce each EDC-5 innovation area. The EDC-5 website posted webinar recordings, factsheets, and presentation slides following each session.

See the full list of orientation webinars for EDC-5 innovations here.

Every two years, FHWA works with state departments of transportation and other public and private stakeholders to identify innovative technologies that merit widespread deployment. State Transportation Innovation Councils (STICs) in all fifty states then meet to evaluate these innovations and lead deployment efforts.

Innovations for EDC-5 include weather-responsive management strategies, collaborative hydraulics, rural roadway departures, advanced geotechnical exploration methods, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), virtual public involvement, use of crowdsourcing to advance operations, project bundling, Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP), and value capture of transportation.

In Fall 2018, transportation leaders and front-line professionals from across the country gathered at five Regional Summits to discuss the EDC-5 innovations, exchange ideas with industry counterparts, and provide feedback to FHWA on resources needed to support innovation adoption.

The NJDOT team attended the Regional Summit in Albany, New York. Following the summits, New Jersey finalized its selection of innovations, established performance goals for the level of implementation and adoption over the upcoming two-year cycle, and initiated its efforts to implement the innovations with the support and assistance of the technical teams established for each innovation.

In the Spring of 2019, the FHWA issued a summary report, EDC-5 Summit Summary and Baseline Report that describes the Regional Summits and indicates the priority innovations for deployment being taken by the individual states.