The invention relates to the 
engineering geological investigation field, in particular to a multichannel transient 
Rayleigh wave detection method. The multichannel transient 
Rayleigh wave detection method includes steps: obtaining 
arrival time difference tau between two transient Rayleigh 
waves collected by two wave detectors on two adjacent detection points, wherein setting an interval between the two detection points to be arbitrary large on the premise of guaranteeing invariability of foundation 
soil properties between the two detection points; figuring out 
phase difference delta phi(f) among different frequency components of the two transient Rayleigh 
waves of the two adjacent detection points according to the equation that 
delta phi(f)=
delta phi0(f)+2piftau, wherein defining 2piftau as a 
time difference phase position between two channels; using a 
phase difference method to figure out corresponding multichannel transient 
Rayleigh wave phase speed according to the obtained 
phase difference. The multichannel transient Rayleigh 
wave detection method gets rid of fetters of a channel interval by introducing the 
time difference phase position 2piftau into extraction of the Rayleigh wave phase difference among the different frequency components of the two transient Rayleigh 
waves, uses the two wave detectors to extract the Rayleigh wave phase difference among the different frequency components of the two transient Rayleigh waves, and thereby significantly improves work efficiency, transverse resolution and 
high frequency resolution of transient Rayleigh 
wave detection.