Abstract: The measured results show that the excavation leads to both deflection deformation and torsion deformation of the building not perpendicular to the retaining wall. When this kind of building is located over the lowest point or the hogging zone of the settlement trough, the torsion deformation of the building is the most obvious according to the 3D-FEA results. With the variation of the distance and the angle between the building and the retaining wall, when the deflection deformation becomes the major cause of the tensile strain, the maximum tensile strain occurs on the longitudinal walls perpendicular to the retaining wall. In this case, the longitudinal wall perpendicular to the retaining wall is in most adversity. When the deflection deformation is slight, the deflection deformation and torsion deformation cause the tensile strain together, and the maximum tensile strain occurs on the longitudinal walls not perpendicular to the retaining wall. In this case, the longitudinal wall perpendicular to the retaining wall is not in most adversity.