Based　on　the　segmental　tower　of　Waitan　Bridge　in　Ningbo　City,　the　axial　compressive　loading　experiment　of　1:3.34　scaled-model　was　conducted　by　using　the　prestressed　steel　strand　self-balanced　loading　mode,　and　the　force　transferring　route,　mechanical　characteristics,　actual　bearing　capacity　and　local　instability　mechanism　of　segmental　tower　for　cable-stayed　bridge　were　studied　by　using　finite　element　method　and　considering　initial　imperfections　and　local　buckling.　Analysis　result　shows　that　the　external　loads　are　mainly　carried　by　the　plates　of　two　outer　boxes,　the　stresses　of　the　plates　of　outer　and　inner　box　increase　and　decrease　from　the　sections　closing　to　the　abrupt　changing　section,　the　external　load　of　inner　box　gradually　transmits　to　outer　box,　and　the　maximum　stresses　of　stiffened　plates　appear　on　the　abrupt　changing　sections.　The　measurement　points　can　be　categorized　into　three　kinds　according　to　the　relationship　between　the　measured　and　sectional　average　stresses,　including　the　points　under　axial　compression　and　compression-flexure　along　the　insider　and　outsider　of　steel　box.　The　strength　reduction　coefficient　of　segmental　tower　is　larger　than　0.90　from　the　reduced-scale　model　experiment,　and　the　ultimate　bearing　capacity　of　the　model　obtained　by　the　finite　element　analysis　is　1.06　times　of　theoretical　ultimate　bearing　capacity.　Although　the　local　buckling　of　stiffened　plates　can　be　prevented　effectively　by　using　longitudinal　stiffeners　and　diaphragms,　the　attention　should　be　paid　to　the　design　and　construction　of　longitudinal　stiffeners　near　the　intersection　of　top　plates,　bottom　plates　and　inner　web　plates　of　two　side　boxes,　especially　the　longitudinal　stiffeners　close　to　the　abrupt　changing　section,　since　the　abrupt　changing　section　easily　leads　to　the　stress　concentration,　and　it　is　likely　to　occur　local　buckling.　The　stiffened　plates　of　outsider　of　steel　box　for　the　segment　model　fail　to　resist　larger　applied　loads　due　to　the　local　buckling　occurring　on　the　abrupt　changing　section.　©　2016,　Editorial　Department　of　Journal　of　Traffic　and　Transportation　Engineering.　All　right　reserved.