Abstract: Based on certain atrium-style metro station project in Shanghai, shaking table test is carried out on a soil-station model under excitation of both harmonic and seismic waves. Station side wall dynamic soil normal stress data is collected. Response characteristics such as time-history, real-time distribution, peak value distribution of the normal stress are analyzed. Test results show that under harmonic excitation, there is periodicity in the time-history of side wall dynamic soil normal stress, and the frequency of time-history is consistent with that of the input harmonic wave. Under seismic wave excitation, periodicity exists as well, and the first predominant frequency of the time-history is consistent with that of the site. At the same moment and the same buried depth, the absolute value of dynamic soil normal stress barely makes difference between on left or right side wall, showing compression on one side and tension on the other. Peak value presents an approximate L-shaped distribution along the side wall, and the maximum stress occurs at the wall bottom.