Abstract: In order to study dynamic characteristicsand working performance of a slope protected by a soil nailing retaining wall under earthquake, a whole three-dimensional finite element calculation model was established by using large-scale finite element software ADNIA.The soil nailing retaining wall was analyzed on the basis of the dynamic finite element method. Research contents included soil nailing axial force, horizontal displacement of a slope, horizontal acceleration of a slope under horizontal earthquake.The calculation results showed that:(1)Axial forces of every row soil nailing increase after an earthquake and increase greatly in the position of the maximum axial force; (2) The location of potential slip surface is not changed after an earthquake;(3) Horizontal peak displacements and horizontal peak accelerations of a slope are biggest at the top under earthquake,and this showed that the seismic response is the most obvious, the seismic action is the most biggest at the top, and the upper structure is more likely to be damaged. These conclusions can provide some valuable references for seismic design in soil nailing engineering.