Abstract: During the construction of rectangular pipe-jacked tunnels, the deformation and stress transmission of the surrounding soil emerge as pivotal factors that significantly affect the surrounding earth pressure. The phenomenon of soil arching is intrinsically linked to the mechanisms of stress transmission within the soil. To attain a precise prediction of the jacking force in rectangular pipe-jacked tunnels situated within silty soil strata, this study introduces an innovative methodology for calculating the frictional resistance of such tunnels, informed by the effects of soil arching. Initially, a comprehensive stress transmission model is developed for the soil encircling the rectangular pipe-jacked tunnel, which considers both complete and incomplete soil arching effects. This model is systematically divided into three distinct zones for independent analysis: the external stable zone, the elastic arch, and the internal loose body. Subsequently, drawing on the stress transmission principles observed within the elastic arch locality, we define the elastic arch region exhibiting effective stress transmission as the effective elastic arch region. Moreover, methods for quantifying frictional resistance under conditions of both complete and incomplete soil arching effects are meticulously articulated. Finally, an analytical review of three representative engineering case studies reveals that in silty and sandy soil strata, the proposed method yields mean absolute errors (MAE) and correlation coefficients (R²) of (0.4136, 0.97), (1.2102, 0.84), and (0.6893, 0.94) respectively. These results underscore the method's remarkable accuracy and adaptability, surpassing that of alternative methodologies. This research thereby provides a valuable theoretical foundation for the design and construction of rectangular pipe-jacked tunnels.