A Study on Seismic Response of Seismically Isolated Buildings Focusing on Dynamic Similarity Laws in Reduced-Scale Model Experiments

This study investigates dynamic similitude for reduced-scale seismic experiments on seismically isolated buildings. By applying Buckingham’s π theorem, mass and stiffness were scaled with the cube of the geometric factor to relax strict similarity conditions. The isolation system was represented by a Kelvin–Voigt model, avoiding difficulties in nonlinear member selection. Validation through single- and multi-degree-of-freedom analyses, including a 15-story reinforced concrete building, confirmed close agreement with prototype responses. These findings demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework, with future work addressing diverse ground motions and nonlinear behaviors.