This paper presents improvement in measurement technology and space distribution of earth pressure of high fill in loess gully. The numerical simulation

laboratory calibration test are used to investigate the factors influencing the measuring results of earth pressure with earth pressure cell in high fill. It is found that the depth-span ratio of the hole where earth pressure cell is embedded

compaction degree of the fill materials

as well as gully slope

etc.

have more significant impacts on testing earth pressure. Therefore the depth-span ratio λ is better recommended to be larger than 0.6. By analyzing in-situ observations at Lüliang airport test section

two earth pressure empirical formulae for middle and marginal regions of the fill respectively are presented

incorporating fill height

weighted average unit weight

slope angle. Using numerical back-analysis

the spatial distribution rules of earth pressure of the high fill are obtained. Comparatively analyses show that the rules from back-analysis are basically in agreement with the ones from empirical formulae. This study can provide references for underground structure design and foundation deformation calculation in similar high fill engineering in loess gully.