Special Issue on Mechanism and Prevention of Rockburst Disasters in Deep Underground Engineering

Introduction

Deep underground engineering provides critical technological support for national transportation, hydropower generation and energy security. As large-scale national infrastructure projects extend to greater subsurface depths, rockburst hazards have emerged as a major obstacle to the safe construction and sustainable operation of deep tunnels, mines and other underground megaprojects. Characterized by abrupt outbursts, immense destructive force and complex triggering mechanisms, rockbursts pose grave risks to workers and underground machinery while incurring substantial financial losses and adverse social repercussions. Such geodynamic hazards remain scientifically challenging and become increasingly severe as intensive deep excavation intensifies.

To consolidate academic perspectives and accelerate targeted technical breakthrough, a themed special issue entitled Mechanism and Prevention of Rockburst Disasters in Deep Underground Engineering has been launched. This special issue will bring together the latest advances in rockburst initiation mechanisms, real-time monitoring and early warning, disaster mitigation technologies, and field engineering treatment. It aims to advance hazard control and enable the safe and efficient construction of deep underground infrastructure.

Topics covered

• Mechanical behavior and characteristics of deep rock masses under unloading;
• Laboratory tests and numerical simulations of rockburst;
• Mechanism and theoretical models of rockburst;
• Identification and monitoring of precursors of rockburst and early warning;
• Prevention and control methods and treatment technologies for rockburst disasters;
• Deep learning and large language models for rockburst prediction.

Important deadlines:

• Submission deadline: 31st December 2026
• Publication date: 30 April 2027 or as per the journal’s policy and plan of EIC

Submission Instructions:

Please read the Guide for Authors (http://www.vr-ih.com/vrih/html/EN/material70.html) before submitting. Submission website:  https://www.editorialmanager.com/vrih/default.aspx. Please select the special issue "Rockburst disasters". 

Guest Editors:

• Prof. Fengqiang Gong, Chang'an University, China, Email: fengqiangg@126.com
• Prof. Shanyong Wang, University of Newcastle, Australia, Email: Shanyong.Wang@newcastle.edu.au
• Prof. Benguo He, Northeast University, China, Email: hebenguo@mail.neu.edu.cn