Establishment of structural similitude for elastic models and validation of scaling laws

Scaled down models are widely used for experimental investigations on huge structures due to the limitation in the capacities of testing facilities, and, moreover, the experimentation on scaled models is less expensive. Also small scale models are often built with materials dissimilar to those of the prototype. However, only few studies have been carried out on the similitude laws for the prototype structures with small scale models built with a different material. In the present study, an attempt has been made to develop a scaling law for models to carry out the free vibration analysis of structures, based on the similitude requirement. The established scaling laws are validated analytically using simple test problems. The similitude relationship between the prototype and the model is validated with the aid of a case study using finite element analysis software.