Below the Surface: Groundwater, Mine Dewatering and Geotechnical Engineering in a Changing Climate

Dear Colleagues,

Groundwater systems are fundamental to environmental sustainability, water supply, and the safe design and operation of engineering structures, particularly in mining and geotechnical engineering contexts. Climate change is increasingly altering precipitation regimes, recharge processes, the frequency and intensity of extreme events, and groundwater–surface water interactions, thereby reshaping hydrogeological and geomechanical conditions. These evolving conditions pose significant challenges for mine dewatering, ground stability, and long-term water resources management, necessitating robust analytical, optimization, and decision-support frameworks.

This Special Issue invites original research addressing the coupled impacts of climate variability on groundwater dynamics and quality, mine dewatering practices, and geotechnical processes. Topics of interest include climate-driven changes in groundwater recharge and flow, physico-chemical groundwater properties, hydrogeochemical responses to dewatering, groundwater control strategies in open-pit and underground mining environments, and the influence of pore-pressure variations on slope stability, subsidence, and soil–rock behavior.

Particular emphasis is placed on studies employing applied mathematics, advanced numerical modeling, optimization techniques, and data-driven methodologies, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, to improve the design, operation, and management of groundwater systems and mine dewatering under uncertainty.

Contributions focusing on advanced monitoring technologies, multiphysics modeling, data assimilation, and risk-based assessment approaches across multiple spatial and temporal scales are especially encouraged.

Interdisciplinary studies integrating hydrogeology, mining engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydrology, applied mathematics, data science, and climate science are strongly encouraged. This Special Issue will advance scientific understanding of subsurface systems under combined climatic and anthropogenic stresses and support the development of resilient and adaptive strategies for groundwater management, mine dewatering, and geotechnical design in a changing climate.

Dr. Dragoljub Bajić
Dr. Dušan Polomčić
Dr. Jana Štrbački
Dr. Zoran Berisavljević
Guest Editors

Dr. Sanja Bajić
Guest Editor Assistant

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