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Full scale mechanical tests on the new supporting arches with straight-leg and semi-circular shape were performed. The bearing characteristic，bulking and instability mechanism were investigated by comparative analysis on deformation and failure pattern，bearing capacity，steel strain，etc. Tested arches are in the linear elastic deformation stage at the early process of loading，and the inner force of arch is a combination of compressive axial force and bending moment，and the bulking of arch is caused by the strength failure of some sections of its members. Then with the increase of load，the overall structural instability of tested arch occur，subsequently the arches lose the bearing capacity completely. Under the loading condition of lateral pressure coefficient λ=1.0，the yielding bearing capacity is 1 230 kN，which is 1.56 times of the U36 arch with the same size. Along with the increase of λ (λ≥0.5)，the yielding bearing capacity shows an exponentially decreasing trend，and the deformation mode and positions of dangerous sections are changed significantly. The statement of inner force of arch with straight leg and semicircle shape under the lower lateral pressure load comes closer to the axial compression，which make the arch bearing capacity increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]