SUMMARYMeasurements on a 14.5-m diameter bored tunnel have shown that the mechanised assembly of a segmented tunnel lining results in a permanent longitudinal bending moment in the tunnel lining. An analytical model for the beam action of the tunnel lining during the construction phase of bored tunnels is presented. The model incorporates many of the essentials in staged beam construction. It takes into account the influence of forces from the TBM, the loading of the tunnel lining by the grout in the liquid phase, and linear elastic properties of the tunnel lining and soil. Calculations are compared with measurements at the Groene Hart Tunnel (GHT), 20 km south of Amsterdam: the bending moment curve and vertical inclination of tunnel lining segments were compared. The measured bending moment curve is well reproduced. The measured vertical inclination of the lining segments is found to be governed by the beam action of the tunnel lining plus the influence of shear force in the lining.