The freeze-thaw (F-T) process involves thermal-hydraulic-mechanical coupling processes in cold regions. Water flows into rock discontinuities, such as cracks, foliation, or schistosity, and freezes inside these voids if the temperature reaches below 0°C. Water volume increases up to 9–10% due to freezing and the frost heaving force drives the propagation of discontinuities, which may also create new fractures. When the temperature rises, ice is melted and flows between the cracks and pores. After repeated freeze-thaw actions, rock permeability increases and water flows into these rock flaws, resulting in an increase in the instability of rock engineering, which can result in frost heaving, landslides, subsidence, debris, and rockfall. As a result, it is crucial to investigate the F-T geomechanical behavior of rock mass by thoroughly considering the thermo-hydro-mechanical effects.

For engineering rock in cold regions, rock mass is always encountered with stress disturbance, and the F-T-stress disturbance coupling damage is critical to the stability of rock structures. Due to the complexity of F-T coupling damage and fatigue loading damage in rock, damage evolution is difficult to describe with general mechanics theories. Therefore, new theoretical methods, testing techniques, and numerical models need to be developed to reveal the flow mechanisms and F-T geomechanical behaviors in civil and mining engineering.

This Special Issue aims to present recent advances in various subjects addressing difficulties in the development of water flow and freezing in rock discontinues and the associated F-T geomechanics. We invite investigators to contribute research that explores as many aspects as possible of water flow and freezing in rock discontinuities through the F-T cycle and rock structure deterioration caused by F-T actions. We welcome both original research and review articles.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Advanced thermo-hydro-mechanical models to mimic freeze-thaw processes in naturally fractured rock
• Assessing the effect of freeze-thaw on rock mesoscopic structure and strength parameters
• Water flow and freeze characteristics in rock discontinuities resulting in structure deterioration
• New apparatus and methods to observe and capture water flow and freezing inside rock discontinuities
• New theories to describe water-ice phase transformation in rock mass engineering
• Advanced numerical simulation developments for stability prediction of freeze-thawed rock mass
• Advanced damage evolution models to describe coupled chemical solution and freeze-thaw processes
• Frost heaving force evolution patterns in discrete rock fracture networks
• Couple F-T-mechanical damage in rock structure deterioration and damage evolution
• Coupled freeze-thaw-mechanical loads in rock damage modeling