Special Issue on Deep Rock Mechanics and Deep Engineering

The surge in global energy demand, coupled with the strategic push for carbon-neutral infrastructure, is propelling deep underground engineering into a new era. Projects such as deep mines, high-pressure shale gas reservoirs, deep geothermal systems and nuclear waste repositories are continuously redefining the boundaries of rock mechanics. In these extreme environments, where thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) coupling effects are prevalent, understanding and predicting the behavior of deep rock masses remains challenging.

This Special Issue offers a platform for researchers to share the latest advancements in deep Earth rock mechanics and deep engineering. We welcome contributions advance our understanding of the complex mechanisms governing deep rock behavior and support the safe, efficient and sustainable design of next-generation underground infrastructure.

Submission deadline: June 30, 2026

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online. All submissions will undergo a regular peer-review process.

Guest Editors:

Liuke Huang, SouthWest Petroleum University, China, swpuhlk@126.com

Egor Dontsov, ResFrac Corporation, USA, egor@resfrac.com

Mengke An, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China, mengkan@polyu.edu.hk

Mengli Li, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China, menglili@ust.hk