Inverted　T-type　retaining　walls　are　widely　used　in　civil　engineering.　Classic　earth　pressure　theories　cannot　accurately　predict　the　failure　mechanism　of　soils　behind　inverted　T-type　retaining　walls.　Under　wall　translation　mode,　two　failure　surfaces　are　generated　from　the　upper　and　lower　sides　of　the　heel.　By　using　adaptive　finite-element　limit　analysis　(AFELA),　numerical　results　show　that　when　the　failure　surface　intersects　with　the　wall　stem,　a　new　failure　surface　occurs　due　to　soil-wall　frictional　resistance.　In　this　paper,　the　phenomenon　of　stress　rotation　caused　by　the　soil-wall　interface　friction　is　investigated.　The　influence　of　the　third　failure　surface　on　the　analytical　solution　is　further　considered.　An　extensive　parametric　analysis　is　employed　to　study　the　effect　of　the　geometric　parameters　of　inverted　T-type　retaining　walls,　soil-wall　interface　frictional　angles,　and　internal　frictional　angles　of　backfill　on　the　failure　mechanism　of　backfill.　Based　on　the　limit　equilibrium　analysis　method　of　the　horizontal　differential　layer,　a　calculation　model　for　active　earth　pressure　against　inverted　T-type　retaining　walls　under　translational　displacement　modes　is　established.　Compared　with　previous　methods,　the　present　model　is　suitable　for　both　long　heels　and　short　heels　and　considers　the　failure　mechanism　of　soils　with　higher　accuracy.　In　addition,　the　application　point　of　active　thrust　and　distribution　of　earth　pressure　are　provided　as　references　for　wall　design.　©　2021　American　Society　of　Civil　Engineers.