Sandy　cobble　stratum　is　a　kind　of　heterogeneous　geological　body.　A　further　study　on　the　safety　of　wall　rocks　and　underground　structure　demands　developing　suitable　analysis　method　to　simulate　tunnel　excavation　in　such　a　formation.　Macro-scale　simulations　assume　the　sandy　cobble　soil　to　be　homogeneous　in　numerical　models.　They　get　more　efficient　computing,　but　have　difficulties　in　capturing　enough　information　about　the　meso-scopic　fields　needed.　Meso-scale　simulations　explicitly　represent　the　individual　components　of　the　heterogeneous　internal　material　structure　in　numerical　models,　e.g.　the　shape　and　the　spatial　distribution　of　rocks.　They　achieve　high　accuracy,　but　large　computational　cost　would　be　needed.　To　reduce　the　numerical　effort　with　the　precision　guaranteed,　a　multi-scale　analysis　method　for　simulating　tunnel　excavation　in　sandy　cobble　strata　is　proposed.　In　this　method,　the　numerical　model　is　divided　into　two　regions,　involving　the　meso-scale　region　and　macro-scale　region.　The　meso-scale　region　is　a　critical　sub-domain　disturbed　by　tunnel　excavation,　in　it,　the　rocks　and　soil　are　considered　as　separate　constituents.　In　the　macro　domain,　the　sand　gravel　soil　was　regarded　as　homogeneous　materials　whose　effective　material　parameters　were　determined　using　an　equivalent　homogenization　method.　Three　critical　issues　in　the　multi-scale　method　are　explored,　including:　(i)　the　determination　of　meso　domain　and　macro　domain,　(ii)　the　determination　of　rock　maximum　size　that　can　be　homogenized　in　the　meso　domain　and　iii)　the　determination　of　effective　material　parameters　of　soil-rock　mixture　during　the　equivalent　process.　By　comparing　with　simulation　results　predicted　by　macro-scale　and　meso-scale　simulation　methods,　the　validation　of　the　proposed　multi-scale　simulation　method　was　carried　out.　The　result　indicates　that　the　proposed　multi-scale　analysis　method　has　a　high　efficiency　without　loosening　accuracy　on　the　simulation　of　tunnel　excavation　in　sandy　cobble　stratum.