Abstract: This paper presents an experimental investigation on the dynamic buckling of a Kiewitt8 single-layer reticulated shell model under drop hammer impact. The history curves of impact actions and axial forces were measured. The impact buckling modes and failure patterns were observed with a high-speed camera. The results show that the impact actions of drop hammer on the model have triangular impulse shapes, whose max-values have a close relation to hammer momentum and the model stiffness. Acting periods of impact varied from 3.00 to 22.36 ms and their sudden increase correspond to impact buckling occurrence. The response time of axial force was 0.2～0.4 ms later than the impact. The results also show that the reticulated shell model has the higher resistance to impact after its buckling and has not collapsed progressively under the stronger impact.