Abstract: This paper discusses mechanics-related problems of saline disasters in western China concerning the development of the highway and railway systems, including studies of the damage effects of salt heave, dissolved subsidence, and corrosion of the saline soil and of engineering and mechanical properties of the saline soil. The mathematical model of the movement of water, salt and heat and an exploration of the coupling model of water, salt, heat and force by experiments and numerical simulations are reviewed. Finally some problems to be further studied are summarized.