The　h-type　retaining　structure　is　superior　to　the　conventional　slope　stabilizing　pile　not　only　in　its　bending　rigidity　but　also　in　its　capability　of　strictly　controlling　the　displacement　of　the　pile　top.　However,　there　have　been　few　researches　on　the　h-type　retaining　structure.　Hence,　a　physical　model　test　was　designed　to　study　the　effects　of　two　main　parameters,　namely　the　spacing　B　of　the　front　pile　row　and　the　rear　pile　row　and　the　length　L3of　front　pile,　on　the　pile　top　displacement,　bending　moment　of　pile　shaft,　earth　pressure　and　failure　mode　of　the　h-type　retaining　structure.　Research　results　show　that　by　increasing　the　spacing　B　of　the　front　pile　row　and　the　rear　pile　row　or　increasing　the　length　L3　of　front　pile　within　a　certain　range,　the　horizontal　displacement　of　the　pile　top　can　be　reduced.　The　maximum　bending　moment　of　pile　shaft　is　located　near　the　connection　between　the　connecting　beam　and　the　rear　row　of　piles,　and　it　may　increase　with　the　increase　of　the　spacing　B,　but　decrease　with　the　increase　of　L3.　After　the　excavation　is　completed,　the　earth　pressure　in　front　of　the　rear　pile　row　is　close　to　the　at-rest　earth　pressure;　when　the　spacing　B　is　large,　the　earth　pressure　behind　the　front　pile　row　is　close　to　the　active　earth　pressure　of　Rankine,　but　when　the　spacing　B　is　small　the　earth　pressure　behind　the　front　pile　row　is　close　to　the　at-rest　earth　pressure　of　Rankine;　the　earth　pressure　in　front　of　the　front　pile　may　develop　from　the　at-rest　earth　pressure　to　the　Rankine　passive　earth　pressure,　and　the　distribution　is　composed　of　a　triangle　and　a　inverted　triangle.　Affected　by　the　spacing　B　and　the　length　L3　of　front　pile,　the　h-type　retaining　structure　may　fail　in　the　mode　of　＇V＇　or　＇W＇　.　These　results　can　be　referred　to　in　engineering　design　and　establishment　of　theoretical　model.　©　2022　Editorial　Office　of　China　Civil　Engineering　Journal.　All　rights　reserved.