Rock mass often consists of different types of discontinuous structures, such as cleavages, foliations, beddings, joints and faults, etc. The existence of those discontinuities will impose significant effects on geomechanical properties of rock mass. As a consequence, the hydro-mechanical responses of rock mass are certainly structural-controlled. Rock mass with different kinds of structures usually exhibits distinct responses with respect to fluid flow. Fluid flow can further lead to the deterioration of rock structures, which may finally result in serious geohazards, e.g., landslides, debris flow, rock collapses, water inrush, mud inrush, etc, and in turn the structural changes of rock mass can also impact hydraulic properties. As a result, it is crucial to investigate the geomechanical behaviours of rock mass by thoroughly considering the hydro-mechanical effects.

In recent decades, the hotspots for hydro-mechanical research concerning the rock mass structure include: structural deterioration of rock mass, such as the coupling effects of flow and stress fields on rock geo-mechanics; deep resource and energy development related to fluid flow in fracture networks; stress disturbance of rock mass subjected to nonlinear flow through complex fracture networks; and effects of freeze-thaw cycling on geomechanical behaviours for naturally fractured rock mass.

This Special Issue aims to collect recent advances in rock mass structural geomechanics related to hydro-mechanical effects. Articles should provide meaningful approaches and experiences to address the above-mentioned challenges in both scientific and in-situ scales. We invite submissions of comprehensive review papers and original articles.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Stress-flow behaviours in structural rock mass
• Effects of macroscopic and mesoscopic rock structures on flow paths
• New apparatus and methods for characterization of rock hydromechanical behaviours
• Advanced numerical simulation developments for the prediction of the effect of rock structures on flow pattern
• Effect of freeze-thaw treatment on rock geomechanical properties
• Coupled flow-disturbed stress on rock structure deterioration effects
• Coupled freeze-thaw-mechanical loads on rock damage modelling
• Frost heaving force evolution in fracture networks
• Unsaturated flow through rock fractures
• Predictive models for permeability of naturally fractured rock mass