According to the strain nonlinear softening constitutive model having inflexion point after peak stress of practical rock and considering intermediate principal stress, the plastic zone of circular cavern with liner under the condition of uniform pressure is analyzed. The elasto - plastic boundaries both for the lining and surrounding rock are discussed. The stress distribution law is different due to the different position of elastic - plastic boundary. Based on this, different stress formulas are gained. The critical pressure caused by excavation of cavern leading to the yield zone and that caused by inner pressure leading to the yield of the liner and surrounding rock is introduced.