This paper concerns the development of a knowledge-based tunnel design system within the framework of artifical neural networks(ANNs). The system is aimed at expediting a routine tunnel design works such as computation of segment lining body forces and stability analysis of selected cross section. A number of sub-modules for computation of segment lining body forces and stability analysis were developed and implemented to the system. It is shown that the ANNs trained with the results of 3D numerical analyses can be generalized with a reasonable accuracy, and that the ANN based tunnel design concept is a robust tool for tunnel design optimization. The details of the system architecture and the ANNs development are discussed in this paper.