A series of trapdoor model tests was systematically performed in order to investigate soil arching. The mobilized soil arching was clearly observed by change of the vertical earth pressure loaded on trapdoor of soil container box. A slow decent of the loading plate at the trapdoor results in loosening zone over the trapdoor and the stress in this loosening zone was transferred to the stationary zone in the vicinity of the trapdoor. In particular, it was observed that the vertical earth pressure rapidly decreased in the loosening zone and increased in the stationary zone at the trapdoor. Both the maximum decreasing rate of the vertical earth pressure in the loosening zone and the increasing rate of the vertical earth pressure in the stationary zone were not influenced by the ground density, but affected by the size of the trapdoor. The loosening zone could be defined by the elliptical configuration, in which the major axis was twice as long as the height of the loosening zone at the center of trapdoor and the minor axis was the same as the width of trapdoor. The height of loosening zone at the center of trapdoor was one and a half times as long as the width of trapdoor loading plate.