Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics and Seismic Response of Chen Xiang Pavilion in Xi’an Considering the Lower Stylobate

This paper presents the dynamic characteristics and seismic performance of the Chen Xiang Pavilion in Xi’an and the influence of the lower stylobate on the dynamic response of the upper wooden structure. An in situ dynamic test was conducted under ambient vibration to detect the natural frequencies and vibration modes of the structure. Three numerical models, including the upper wooden structure, the lower stylobate, and the whole structure (wooden structure and stylobate), were established. Dynamic characteristic and seismic response analyses were performed on the calculated models to investigate the influence of the lower stylobate on the dynamic response of the upper wooden structure. The simulation results indicated that the lower stylobate significantly affected the dynamic characteristics of the upper wooden structure above the third order. The seismic responses of the upper wooden structure were amplified because of the lower stylobate. Under different excitations, the displacement response of the whole structure was up to 1.99 times relative to the upper wooden structure, and the structural shear forces were increased by 15.3%. The dynamic amplification coefficient was magnified from 0.742~0.948 to 1.024~1.776. The Chen Xiang Pavilion has a good energy dissipation capacity, but the lower stylobate is unfavorable for its earthquake resistance.