Pressure-composition (P-C) isotherms of RNi 5 -H (R = Pr, Nd, Sm and Gd) systems show two hydrogen pressure plateaux during hydrogen absorption and desorption. These correspond to the transitions among three phases: one hydrogen solid solution ( phase; RNi 5 H $0:5 ) and two hydrides ( phase; RNi 5 H 3$4 and phase; RNi 5 H 5$7 ). To explore the mechanism of the phase transitions, we investigated the structural changes in RNi 5 -H systems with ex-situ XRD. During hydrogen desorption, the ex-situ XRD profiles show that the crystal structures in RNi 5 -H systems change from hexagonal ( phase) through monoclinic ( phase) to hexagonal ( phase). The temporary decrease in structural symmetry may be due to hydrogen occupation except in the basal plane of the crystal structure. Lattice expansion between the and phases normalized in the monoclinic structure decreases slightly with the increasing atomic number of R in RNi 5 -H systems. Similarly to the correlation between the first plateau pressure and the unit cell volume of the phase, the second plateau pressure is logarithmically related to the unit cell volume of the phase. As far as the RNi 5 -H (R: from La to Gd except Ce) system is concerned, we can empirically predict the second plateau pressure as well as the first plateau pressure from the unit cell volume of the alloys.