Abstract

This article describes the main damages observed in vehicular bridges as a consequence of the 1991 Limón earthquake. It also shows how this seismic event originated changes in the regulations that govern the design and construction in Costa Rica, specifically the seismic design of buildings and bridges. It is also argued that the impact of the Limón earthquake may also be identified in international bridge design specifications, since the structural failures that occurred as a consequence of this earthquake and other seismic events of the 1990s worldwide, motivated the revision and modification of the construction practices on bridges in seismically active regions.

Keywords: Infrastructure; Design Specifications; Seismic Design; Bridges; Seismic Vulnerability