A three-dimensional numerical model of slope reinforced by the ordinary rigid anti-slide pile and the composite rigid-flexible anti-slide pile (CRAP) was established respectively based on a slope retaining project, which was used in a expressway embankment. The mechanical characteristics and deformation of two different kinds of structures were compared and analyzed by using finite difference software FLAC3D. Furthermore, the influences of several key design parameters, including the thickness and the elasticity modulus of flexible material, the elasticity modulus of rigid pile, on the mechanical characteristics of the CRAP were investigated. The results show that compared to the ordinary rigid anti-slide pile the CRAP is more effective in reducing the bending moment, shear force and lateral earth pressure of the pile with partly increasing horizontal displacement of the gravel filling and the pile segment above the slip surface. The internal force of the pile decreases in a limited extent as the increase of the thickness of flexible material. The elasticity modulus of flexible material has a little effect on mechanical characteristics of the CRAP while reducing the elasticity modulus of the rigid pile could reduce its internal force significantly. © 2017, Editorial Board of Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. All right reserved.
