The nonlinear-brittle-plastic model derived from experiments as well as elastic and elasto-plastic models was applied to the analysis of the rock damaged zone around a highly stressed circular tunnel. The depths of stress redistribution and disturbed zone as well as the characteristic behaviors predicted from each numerical model were compared, As the magnitudes and stress differences of in situ stresses increased, influences of stress redistribution and stress disturbance on un(tiled region of rock mass also intensified. As a result, larger stress redistribution and disturbed zone as well as greater deviatoric stress and displacement were obtained by the nonlinear-brittle-plastic model rather than other conventional models such as elasto-plastic and elastic models. from such results, it was concluded that as the magnitudes and stress differences of in situ stresses increased, larger rock damaged zone might be predicted by the nonlinear-brittle-plastic model. Therefore, it is thought that the damage analysis may be indispensable far highly stressed tunnels.