Development and simulation of a laboratory shake table for seismic isolator evaluation

This study presents the methodology and procedures adopted for the design, assembly, mechanical modeling, and experimental validation of a laboratory-scale shake table developed in-house at the Laboratory of Structural Engineering, University of Salerno. The custom-built setup supports the experimental assessment of small- and medium-scale prototypes of seismic protection devices and facilitates testing on scaled structural models designed to withstand seismic actions. Key capabilities of the system include the ability to impose large lateral displacement histories of various profiles, apply significant vertical loads, and attain high horizontal peak velocities. Unlike commercially available desktop shake tables—typically designed for high accelerations with limited vertical capacity and basic motion control—this setup follows a distinct design philosophy tailored to specific experimental demands. The paper outlines the design approach, which may serve as a reference for other research laboratories aiming to construct similar systems, and demonstrates the shake table’s utility by presenting an experimental test on a bioinspired seismic isolator recently introduced in literature.