The invention provides a short-refraction investigation method for the undulating surface of the terrain high-variability area in the ultra-thick loess highland. The short-refraction investigation method for the undulating surface of the terrain high-variability area in the ultra-thick loess highland comprises the steps that 1, a short-refraction observing system is used, an encounter observing system is used, and shot points are laid in a certain receiving arrangement mode; 2, wave detectors are embedded, and coordinates of each receiving point and each shot point are actually measured according to channel distances arranged in a short-refraction mode; 3, pit cannon excitation is adopted, and selection of the well depth and the explosive quantity conforms to the safety standard; 4, short refraction is explained, refraction tomographic inversion is carried out, and an exquisite near-surface structural model is set up. According to the short-refraction investigation method for the undulating surface of the terrain high-variability area in the ultra-thick loess highland, exquisite near-surface investigation can be carried out on the high-variability area in the ultra-thick loess highland, the defect that near-surface information can not be extracted accurately and easily in similar areas is made up, and the method has high application and popularization value in the whole loess highland.