It　is　hardly　to　carry　out　large-scale　shaking　table　test　of　entire　structure　for　the　high　cost　of　model　construction　and　the　capability　limited　of　shaking　table　in　the　field　of　civil　seismic　research.　In　this　paper,　a　shaking　table　substructure　test　method　loading　by　inertial　mass　was　studied,　and　the　inertial　mass　parameter　was　designed　based　on　the　principle　of　frequency　equivalence.　Numerical　simulation　was　performed　and　the　applicability　of　the　test　method　was　analysed.　A　shaking　table　test　model　of　5-stories　steel　frame　model　and　the　substructure　test　loading　by　inertial　mass　have　been　carried　out.　Result　shows　that　the　phase　of　the　time　history　curves　could　in　good　agreement,　but　the　peak　responses　of　the　substructure　model　were　larger　than　the　entire　structure　tests.　So,　the　shaking　table　substructure　test　loading　by　inertial　mass　based　on　the　principle　of　frequency　equivalence　is　not　suitable　for　the　structure　with　uniform　distribution　of　mass　and　stiffness.　Finally,　it　has　been　verified　that　the　substructure　test　based　on　the　principle　of　frequency　equivalence　is　suitable　for　the　structures　with　large　rigidity　and　concentrated　mass　by　analysing　of　another　example.　The　research　of　this　paper　could　be　referred　for　substructure　test　of　large　and　complex　structure.　©　Published　under　licence　by　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.