Open Access
ARTICLE
H/V Spectral Ratio Reveals Seismic Response of Base-Isolated Large-Span High-Rise in Beijing
Zhangdi Xie1,2,*, Cantao Zhuang1, Yong Wu1, Linghui Niu1, Jianming Zhao3
1 Beijing Geolight Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing, 102628, China
2 Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems (Ministry of Education of China), College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
3 Beijing Construction Project Management General Headquarters, Capital Airports Holdings Co., Ltd., Beijing, 102604, China
* Corresponding Author: Zhangdi Xie. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advanced Strategies for Structural and Non-Structural Seismic Protection and Damage Prediction in Reinforced Concrete Structures)
Structural Durability & Health Monitoring https://doi.org/10.32604/sdhm.2025.070531
Received 18 July 2025; Accepted 26 September 2025; Published online 20 November 2025
Abstract
This study employed tri-component continuous monitoring data from 10 measurement points on both sides of a base isolation layer in the basement of a large-span high-rise building in Beijing, as well as from a free-field station and roof frame, during a
Mw 5.5 magnitude earthquake in Pingyuan, Shandong, in 2023. The H/V spectral ratio method was used to evaluate the structural dynamic response characteristics of the building and analyze the regulatory effect of the base-isolation layer on seismic waves. The results indicate that during the earthquake, the peak frequency of the free-field and the measurement points below the base-isolation layer was stable at 0.17 Hz, whereas the main frequency of the measurement points above the base-isolation layer increased to 0.75–1.18 Hz, which is 4–6 times greater than that of the points below. The amplitude was suppressed by more than 70%, confirming that the base isolation layer effectively isolated the low-frequency energy from the ground and increased the response frequency of the building. When the building was excited by an earthquake, a three-tier frequency gradient was formed throughout the building: “base-isolation layer (0.17 Hz)-main body (1.18 Hz)-roof frame (3.83 Hz)”, which can effectively avoid resonance of the entire building. In addition, the composite base-isolation device changed the dynamic characteristics of the structure. The resonance period was extended from 0.74 s (theoretical value without base isolation) to 5.9 s (calculated value), and the resonance frequency was reduced from 1.35 to 0.17 Hz. This finding indicates that the base-isolation layer can enhance seismic performance by increasing flexibility and damping.
Keywords
H/V spectral ratio method; seismic isolation system; seismic response characteristics; three-stage frequency gradient; energy dissipation mechanism
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