Abstract: This paper presents factors that affecting the spatial effect of deep excavations and state of the art of the deep excavations is reviewed from the numerical analysis, theoretical approach and engineering applications aspects. Both disadvantages and advantages aspects of the domestic sate of the deep excavation are also provided in the paper. The following conclusions can be obtained: the numerical analysis method is an effective tool studying the spatial effect of deep excavations by the validation of the numerical method is strongly influenced by the constitutive model and the material parameters; Majority of the theoretical approach on the spatial effect in the deep excavation are on the noncohesive soils or equivalent noncohesive soils converted from the effective internal friction angle. Further studies are needed for excavations in cohesive soils. The engineering applications indicate that the spatial effect can provide guidance for the construction. Threedimensional numerical analysis calibrated with the construction minoring can help understand the spatial effect in the deep excavation.

Key words: deep excavations, spatial effect, numerical simulation, theoretical approach, engineering applications