Abstract: Soil nailing is an economical and convenient bracing structure for foundation pits. In previous researches, the strength control is the main standard in the structural design of the soil-nail braced structure, but the deformation control is rarely considered. A closed-form solution for the horizontal displacement of the soil-nail braced structure is presented. An energy equation is established based on the mechanical characteristics of the surface layer. According to the principle of the minimum potential energy, a closed-form solution on the horizontal displacement of the soil-nail braced structure is derived. The results are validated through a comparison with a project case. It shows that this analytical solution is reasonable and feasible and can satisfy the engineering requirements.