Abstract: When wetting, the collapsible loess will generate a significant magnitude of additional deformations and the bearing capacity will also reduce significantly. It is one of the severe potential engineering geological hazards for tunnels in these soils. This paper presents a case history of construction of Taixing railway tunnels in the loess. The deformations of the steel arch supporting structures were monitored during the construction. The soil mass deformations surrounding the tunnels are determined and the supporting structure design parameters are backanalyzed. The monitoring data enrich the experiences of the tunnel construction in similar soils.

Key words: Tunnels in Collapsible Loess, Deformation of Arch Supporting Structures, Strain Gauges