Understanding Fluid-Induced Failure Processes in Geotechnical Engineering

Submission Deadline: 30 June 2026 View: 54 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Assoc. Prof. Zhengzheng Cao

Email: caozz@hpu.edu.cn

Affiliation: School of Civil Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454003, China

Homepage:

Research Interests: fracture evolution, thermo-mechanical coupling, fluid–solid interaction, coupled seepage processes, dynamic porous media, fluid transport dynamics

Summary

At present, the engineering challenges associated with deep rock and soil environments have drawn extensive attention from both academia and industry. The stability and safety of deep geological formations are critical issues in diverse fields such as coal mining, petroleum extraction, national defense construction, and nuclear waste storage. In such contexts, ensuring operational safety under complex geological conditions characterized by high stress, elevated temperature, and significant water or gas pressure represents a formidable task. Numerous catastrophic events, including water inrush, roadway collapse, gas outburst, and explosion, have occurred in deep underground operations, posing severe risks to human life, property, and environmental integrity. Understanding the mechanisms behind these disasters is essential for developing effective prevention and control strategies. The behavior of geotechnical materials and fluids during deep excavation embodies a complex interplay among multiple physical and chemical processes. The migration of water and gas through rock or soil involves multi-phase interactions among solids, liquids, and gases, spanning from nano- to macro-scales and governed by the coupling of multiple fields, including mechanical, thermal, hydraulic, and chemical domains. High temperature can alter the mechanical properties of rocks through thermal stress, while creep deformation is highly sensitive to both temperature and osmotic pressure. During the exploitation of deep resources such as coalbed methane, shale gas, and geothermal energy, fractures are often induced to enhance permeability, yet these fractures may exacerbate damage, complicating the stability of the surrounding rock mass. Despite significant advances, the fundamental mechanisms governing fluid migration and deformation of deep geotechnical materials under excavation disturbance remain insufficiently understood, particularly in environments dominated by high ground stress, temperature, and seepage pressure. Therefore, further research is required to elucidate the coupling mechanisms and to devise predictive models capable of guiding engineering design and disaster prevention. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather original research and comprehensive reviews that advance understanding in this critical area, integrating theoretical, numerical, experimental, and field-based approaches to address current scientific and technological challenges in deep rock and soil mechanics.

Topics of Interest
The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following themes:
1.Long-Term Stability of Deep Surrounding Rock
 -Creep and time-dependent deformation behavior of rock under high temperature and pressure
 -Influence of stress redistribution and thermal–hydraulic–mechanical coupling on rock stability
 -Field observations and long-term monitoring of deep rock deformation

2.Mechanisms of Multi-Field and Multi-Phase Flow under Deep Geological Disturbance
 -Coupled mechanical–thermal–hydraulic–chemical–gas (MTHCG) processes in deep formations
 -Theoretical and numerical modeling of multi-phase flow and transport in porous and fractured media
 -Interaction between micro-scale pore evolution and macro-scale deformation

3.Stability and Seepage Analysis of Underground Oil and Gas Storage Caverns
 -Mechanical response and seepage field evolution in deep salt caverns and rock caverns
 -Leakage mechanisms and mitigation strategies for underground energy storage
 -Case studies of large-scale underground reservoirs

4.Support and Reinforcement Technologies for Deep Roadways under Multi-Field Coupling
 -Design and optimization of roadway support structures considering thermo–hydro–mechanical effects
 -Influence of dynamic disturbances (blasting, drilling, vibration) on roadway stability
 -Intelligent monitoring and adaptive control systems for deep support structures

5.Stability of Deep Tunnels in Water-Rich or High-Pressure Environments
 -Hydro-mechanical coupling effects in water-bearing strata

 -Prediction and prevention of water inrush during deep tunneling
 -Case histories of deep and long tunnel construction under complex hydrogeological conditions

6.Mechanisms of Gas Dynamic Disasters in Coal Mining
 -Gas outburst and explosion mechanisms under high stress and high gas pressure
 -Coupled deformation–fracture–gas migration modeling
 -Advanced gas drainage and prevention technologies

7.Mechanisms of Water Inrush in Deep and Long Tunnels
 -Water–rock interaction and progressive failure processes
 -Influence of excavation-induced stress redistribution on seepage channels
 -Quantitative assessment and risk prediction methods

8.Fracture Initiation and Propagation Mechanisms during Deep Excavation
 -Crack growth behavior under coupled mechanical and thermal conditions
 -Microstructure-based modeling of fracture evolution in brittle and ductile rocks
 -Role of pre-existing defects and heterogeneity in fracture networks

9.Gas Migration and Drainage Mechanisms in Deep Geological Systems
 -Gas–solid interaction and permeability evolution during mining and storage operations
 -Enhanced gas extraction technologies for deep and low-permeability formations
 -Environmental and safety implications of gas migration

10.Exploration and Exploitation of Deep Geothermal Resources
 -Thermo–hydro–mechanical coupling in geothermal reservoirs
 -Induced seismicity and fracture behavior in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)
 -Sustainable utilization and environmental management of deep geothermal energy

Keywords