Highway side-slope is one of the most seriously damaged areas in highway construction. Based on an experimental study in the Xi′an-Ankang highway of Shaanxi Province

19 side-slope protection forms are summarized and analyzed

i. e.

retaining wall

gridiron protection

paved stone slope

drainage consolidation

etc. . 22 scientific research sites were set on tipical slopes and secondary slopes in the Xi′an-Ankang section to observe the changes of shrub stem

diameter and height

lawn coverage

survival rate

emergence rate and growth potential

as well as to analyze the relationship between vegetation growth and environmen-tal conditions. It is clarified that a suitable protection form should be determined by the characteristics of specific engineering. The result from the analysis can offer scientific reference for selecting an ecological sideslope protection mode in highway construction.