Abstract: An isolated similar design method is developed for a scaled model test, and then is applied to simulate a shaking table test for the slope-anchor cable-lattice beam system. The functional equation of dimensional analysis is defined as the primary characteristics equation, which is used to describe the relationship of variables in the shaking table test. According to the difference of characteristics of the slope, anchor cable, lattice beam and seismic wave, all the system variables can be divided into four sections, which is further used to derive the scaling relations for the slope, anchor cable, lattice beam and seismic wave. The functional equations for characterizing the scaling relations for these four sections are the secondary characteristics equations. The importance degree of variables in the secondary characteristics equation is different for the scaled model. The functional equations used for characterizing the scaling relations of more important factors are the tertiary characteristics equations. Based on the tertiary, the secondary and the primary characteristics equations of these four sections, the scaling relations for the primary variables, relevant variables and irrelevant variables can be derived, respectively. Then the primary variables are selected to design the scaled model. The problems that all the scaling relations in the previous studies cannot be satisfied in the scaling model have been resolved.

Key words: isolated similar design method, soil-structure interaction, shaking table test, dimensional analysis, ratio of similitude