Abstract: Based on the wave mechanics, a dynamic soil pressure method for underground structures under shear wave vibration is proposed. Firstly, taking soil-structure interaction, soil properties and wave propagation characteristics into consideration, the soil-structure system is simplified into a single DOF of mass-spring-damp system. Then the wave equations are established and solved, and the dynamic soil pressure induced by ground shaking at one point of underground structures is obtained by combining the free field response results. Finally, the shaking table test data are used to verify the method. The proposed method has the properties of clear concept, simple calculation, high efficiency and high-accuracy, and therefore, it can provide a simple and practical tool for the seismic design of underground structures.