<p>The accuracy of field modal experiments and the effectiveness of subsequent model updating are two key scientific issues regarding the validity of the structural health monitoring or structural safety assessment oriented finite-element (FE) models established for use. Using the 131-m height Huai-beng free-standing transmission tower located in east China as the engineering background, the present study examines the effectiveness of the moving sensor modal test method and response surface (RS) based FE model updating approach via a field modal experiment and numerical simulation. The performed works suggest that the moving sensor modal test method of low sensing resource requirement and controllable accuracy is applicable to tower structures. They also indicate that the RS based FE model updating is helpful for correctly identifying the uncertain parameters in the tower model due to the superiority of the optimization algorithm in accurately analyzing the significance of the uncertain parameters in their overall design ranges in the course of model updating.</p>