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Advances and Challenges in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Civil Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 351

Special Issue Editors

State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: rockmass mechanics; fractured rock mass; constitutive models; backfill mining; rock engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: rockmass instability; fractured rock mass; constitutive models; energy evolution; strata control; environmental effects
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the successful publication of the first edition of the Special Issue "Advances and Challenges in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering," which showcased cutting-edge research and practical innovations across the field, we are pleased to announce the launch of its second edition. This new edition continues to provide a platform for the dissemination of original research, novel methodologies, and advanced analytical and experimental approaches that address both fundamental and applied aspects of rock mechanics and rock engineering. Contributions that bridge theoretical developments with real-world engineering applications are particularly welcome.

Mining activities disrupt the balance of in situ stress, resulting in the instability and collapse of rock formations, as well as surface subsidence. Mining-induced rockmass stability is essential for controlling rock movement and mastering mine pressure. The roadway support design, working face support selection, and dynamic disaster prevention measures, for example, are closely related to the mechanical properties, fracture mechanisms, and stability forms of rockmass. Currently, the prevention and control of rockmass instability focuses primarily on backfilling goaf, enhancing rock mass strength, and optimizing mining design. As the mining depth increases, the mechanism underlying rock mass instability and fracture formation will become more complicated. Consequently, novel methods for preventing and controlling rock mass instability are critical for ensuring the safety and efficiency of mining activities.

The primary objective of this Special Issue is to encourage scholars to present new perspectives, advances, and challenges in rock mechanics and rock engineering induced by mining. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: the proposition of mine rockmass mechanics; predicting mechanical behavior of rockmass; rock strata movement; rockmass mechanics tests; constitutive models and instability criteria; fracture and energy evolution of rockmass; seepage analysis of fractured rockmass; grouting reinforcement of fractured rockmass; key technology of preventing and controlling rockmass instability; underground mining with backfill; safety and environmental effects; and other engineering applications.

Dr. Meng Li
Dr. Peng Huang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • rockmass instability
  • rockmass mechanics
  • fractured rockmass
  • constitutive models
  • energy evolution
  • strata control
  • backfill mining
  • rock engineering

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 4455 KB  
Article
Influence of Tiered Cyclic Shear Stress on Shear Friction and Instability Behavior of Marble Specimens with the Fractures
by Yinghu Li, Ze Xia, Changhao Shan, Qiang Xu, Qiangling Yao and Haitao Li
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(19), 10308; https://doi.org/10.3390/app151910308 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 141
Abstract
Fractured rock masses are susceptible to stress-induced disturbances, which can lead to severe geological disasters. In recent years, the shear deformation and failure characteristics of fractured rock under cyclic shear loading have become a frontier issue in rock mechanics and engineering. A thorough [...] Read more.
Fractured rock masses are susceptible to stress-induced disturbances, which can lead to severe geological disasters. In recent years, the shear deformation and failure characteristics of fractured rock under cyclic shear loading have become a frontier issue in rock mechanics and engineering. A thorough understanding of the failure mechanism of fractured rock masses is of great significance for the scientific evaluation of their long-term stability in engineering applications. In this study, experiments were conducted on marble specimens with artificial fractures under constant normal stress using the RDS-200 rock mechanics shear test system. The results reveal the following three key findings: First, the residual shear displacement increases linearly with cycling numbers, and the fractures demonstrate memory functions under pre-peak tiered cyclic shear loading, with shear displacement exhibiting hysteresis effects. Second, significant differences were observed between tiered cyclic shear (TCS) and direct shear test (DST) outcomes in terms of peak shear stress and failure patterns. The peak shear strength under TCS was 17.76–24.04% lower than under DST, with the strength-weakening effect increasing with normal stress. The fracture surfaces showed more severe damage and debris accumulation under TCS compared to DST, with the contour area ratio decline rate correlating with both normal stress and initial surface conditions. Third, energy evolution analysis indicates that as cyclic shear stress increases, the elastic energy release rate exceeds the dissipation rate, and the elastic energy index progressively rises through the loading cycles. The findings of this research contribute to a better understanding of the shear instability of rock fractures under pre-peak tiered cyclic shear loading with constant normal stress. Full article
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