Abstract:A vertical shaft sinking construction method (VSM) was adopted in an open caisson project in Nanjing. This process is the first application in China. Based on the MIDAS GTS NX finite element analysis software, the numerical simulation of vertical shaft sinking process is carried out. And compared with the practical monitoring data, its construction influence is analyzed. The result shows that the simulation data are in good agreement with the monitoring data, which provides a reference for the application of this construction method in the future.