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In experimental studies, single-wave mode and two counter-rotating wave mode are often observed in rotating detonation combustors. To investigate the mechanism behind different propagation modes, high-resolution numerical simulations of two-dimensional detonation in hydrogen/air mixtures are conducted by solving the reactive Navier–Stokes equations with a detailed chemical mechanism. The numerical results show that the occurrence of the dual-wave detonation propagation mode is positively influenced by an increase in both the channel width and the initial pressure. The dual-wave modes are observed when increasing the channel width, and it is found that the dual-wave modes are caused by increasing the residual premixed gas height near the inner wall. When increasing the initial pressure, the initial peak detonation heat release increases, which leads to the increase in the hot spot intensity formed, and it is found that the dual-wave modes are mainly caused by the interactions between the initial detonation wave and the inner wall. However, the initial equivalent ratio appears to have a relatively minor impact on the detonation propagation mode due to a relatively narrow range variation of physical properties. The peak heat release rate exerts a greater influence on the change of the propagation mode than the induction time does through a wider range test on rotating detonation engines' working condition. Moreover, the velocities and the cell sizes of detonation waves propagating in different directions with different channel widths are also analyzed, revealing that the characteristics of the detonation waves propagating in different directions are nearly the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]