This paper focus on the model updating of civil structural systems. Traditional modal test method can identify the frequency of the civil structure accurate, but it is difficult to identify the mass-normalized mode shape. By adding a series of known masses to the structure, measuring the frequency of this mass-modified system, and only using this set of frequency data, the mass-normalized mode shape of the structure can be identified. And the model updating method was developed, which constructed an objective function through the frequency of the measurement and the FE model, corrected the FE model's parameters to minimize the objective function. The example was included to show the capabilities of the technique. The finite element model of the fixed-free beam was updated by the dynamic characteristics which was identified from the modal test, the results show that updated results coincided with the experience of the analyst.