Highlights(1) The DLV dimensionless number system to represent structural impact is proposed.(2) Two well-known numbers, the damage number and the response number, are naturally included in DLV dimensionless numbers.(3) The property of directly matching the dimensionless expression of the response equations is verified through simple equation analysis of four impact models.(4) The ability of addressing non-scalability as well as the VSG system is confirmed. 3 ABSTRACT : A group of dimensionless numbers, termed DLV (Density-Length-Velocity) system, is put forward to represent the scaled behavior of structures under impact loads. It is obtained by means of the Buckingham Π theorem with an alternative basis. The distinct features of this group of dimensionless numbers are that it relates physical quantities of the impacted structure with essential basis of the Density, the Length and the Velocity, and thus it can represent the scaled influence of material property, geometry characteristic and velocity on the behavior of structures. The newly 15 proposed dimensionless numbers reflect three advantages. (1) The intuitively clear physical significance of these dimensionless numbers, such as the ratios of force intensity, force, moment of inertia to the corresponding dynamic quantities, the Johnson's damage number and Zhao's response number etc. are naturally included. (2) The property of directly matching the dimensionless expression of response equations of dynamic problems with these dimensionless numbers through simple equation analysis; (3) The ability of addressing non-scaling problems for different materials and strain-rate-sensitive as well as the VSG (initial impact Velocity-dynamic flow Stress-impact mass G) system. Four classical impact models are used to verify the directly matching property and the non-scaling addressing ability of the DLV system by equation analysis. The results show that the proposed dimensionless number system is simple, clear and efficient, and we suggest using it to represent the scaled behavior of structures under impact loads.