El Salvador is expected to experience several earthquakes of moderate magnitudes per decade. It is estimated that the majority of bridges were constructed about more than forty years ago.
To study the vulnerability of the bridge in El Salvador, an assessment of the performance against earthquakes of the Bridge over Copapayo River was carries out. The bridge consists of a prestressed concrete slab-on-girder, two spans and a central pier. The bridge was assessed using a time-history analysis with the Specification of Highways Bridge of Japan. To improve the seismic performance of the bridge three retrofit techniques were applied: concrete jacketing, vibration control system using damper devices and seismic isolation system by laminate rubber bearing devices. Furthermore, an improvement in the design of the pier using the Japanese Specifications to enhance the seismic performance for new constructions was proposed.
A discussion of the result of each model is presented at the end of this document.