Structural　health　monitoring　is　crucial　for　ensuring　tunnel　safety　during　construction　and　operational　stage.　Wireless　sensor　network　(WSN)　based　monitoring　has　the　advantages　of　real　time　and　high　frequency　in　data　collecting,　wireless　transferring　of　data　and　ease　of　installation.　In　real　practice,　the　placement　of　wireless　sensors　is　needed　to　be　optimized　due　to　the　limitation　of　monitoring　cost.　Furthermore,　shield　tunnel　linings　are　subjected　to　random　external　loads　in　operational　stage.　A　robust　sensor　placement　(RSP)　scheme　should　be　able　to　capture　the　variation　of　random　loads　and　place　the　sensors　at　structural　sensitive　locations.　In　order　to　design　a　robust　sensor　placement　scheme,　this　paper　proposes　an　information　entropy　based　optimization　method　considering　the　randomness　of　external　loads　acting　on　tunnel　linings.　The　proposed　method　mainly　contains　four　parts:　mechanical　model　construction,　load　uncertainty　modelling,　information　entropy　calculation　and　optimization　of　sensor　placement　scheme.　A　case　study　of　Mawan　cross-sea　passage　tunnel　is　conducted　to　show　the　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　method.　For　the　large　diameter　shield　tunnel　with　ten　segments,　the　most　sensitive　location　to　external　random　loads　is　founded　to　be　138°　(segment　B2).　©　2024　The　Author(s).