The cold regions of the world cover large areas in the northern hemisphere, including Canada, Alaska, Finland, Norway, Sweden, a vast portion of China and Russia, and all the northern tier of the United States. Construction and maintenance of hydraulic structures in cold regions face great challenges related to harsh environments, freeze-thaw actions, or permafrost degradation due to climate warming and engineering disturbance.

The factors can cause damage to hydraulic structures by exerting negative influences on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of construction materials (e.g., dam fillings and concrete). Thus, how to evaluate the impacts of climate factors on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of construction materials and the long-term stability of hydraulic structures is of great importance for the design, construction, and maintenance of hydraulic engineering in cold regions. In recent years, the impacts of freeze-thaw action on mechanical properties of soil and concrete used for buildings, transportation infrastructure, and pile foundations have gained lots of attention, as well as improved methods. However, regarding materials and structure of cold regions hydraulic engineering, few research studies have been done and need to be constantly upgraded as the fast-increasing hydraulic projects worldwide. The key scientific issues are closely linked to the mechanical and hydraulic properties of construction materials and long-term hydro-thermal behavior of structures in cold environments.

The aim of this Special Issue is to solicit original research articles that provide innovative evaluations of climate factor impacts on materials and structures of hydraulic engineering in cold regions. Submissions discussing field observations, experimental studies, and numerical simulations on the performance of materials and structures in freeze-thaw environments are particularly encouraged. In addition, review articles discussing the state of the art are welcome.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Micro- and macro-structures of dam fillings and concrete in freeze-thaw environments
• Strength, rheological, and permeability properties of dam fillings and concrete in freeze-thaw environments
• Special requirement and improvements in fillings and concrete used for dams in cold regions
• Effects of climate factors on hydraulic structures (dams, channels and slopes)
• Hydro-thermal behaviour of hydraulic structures: field observations and numerical simulations
• Dam permeability, deformation, and stability in cold regions
• Climate change impacts and adaptation methods
• Geohazard mitigation studies
• Sustainable development solutions for environmental protection
• Engineering practice and studies