The anisotropic morphology of natural joints always affects their shear behavior. This experimental study aimed at exploring the anisotropic wear damage of asperities for natural joints under direct shearing tests. For casting the same joint specimens in batches, a production method for circle joint specimens containing natural joints was presented first by utilizing three-dimensional (3D) scanning and printing technologies. Then, the shear tests for natural and smooth joint specimens were carried out under different shear directions and normal stress to exhibit their anisotropic behavior. These experimental results showed that the contribution of joint asperities to shear performance (such as shear strength, dilatation deformation, and local wear damage) varied with the shear direction and exhibited anisotropic characteristics, and the anisotropy of shear strength weakened gradually with increasing normal stress due to asperity’s wear damage. For quantitatively analyzing the wear damage of a joint surface after the shear test, a technical method was also proposed to quantify the damage volume. The corresponding statistical analysis for all the experimental data indicated that the damage volume of natural joints under a shear test accumulates with increasing normal stress, but its values were different along different shear directions. The experimental study provides new clues for deciding the shearing strength parameters of natural joint for rock engineering’s design, and can also benefit the stability analysis of jointed rock mass by deeply understanding the natural joint’s strength softening and residual strength during shear failure.

The water content of rock in nature usually changes, because of the rainfall (Wet) and drought (Dry). This wet-dry cycle is one of the most important reasons leading to the deterioration of rock mechanical properties. In the paper, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests of sandstone suffered different wet-dry cycles were conducted, and the ion content in the soaking solution was measured. In addition, the microstructure changes of the sandstone specimens were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the pore changes were tested by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. The UCS of sandstone decreases by 4.58% after 1 dry-wet cycle, and 18.35% after 20 dry-wet cycles. There are some ions in the soaking aqueous solution after each wet-dry cycle, such as Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺, etc, and the ion concentration decreases gradually with the increase of wet-dry cycles. The results of SEM and NMR show that the porosity of the sample increases from 10.22% to 12.30% after 20 wet-dry cycles. Based on recorded change of porosity, the damage evolution equation of sandstone is established. As the damage accumulates, the UCS of the specimen gradually decreases. The loss of some minerals and cyclic expansion-shrinkage of clay minerals during the wet-dry cycles are the main reasons for the damage of sandstone microstructure, which eventually results in the deterioration of mechanical properties.

Jointed rock masses with different orientations and spacings are widely exposed in rock engineering applications, such as underground caverns, slopes, and tunnels, which significantly influence the rock engineering stability and mechanical behavior of the rock masses. To better evaluate the mechanical response of the jointed rock masses during the engineering excavation period, an equivalent constitutive model for the jointed rock masses was established based on the joint compliance tensor (JCT) and was adopted to analyze the excavation-induced mechanical performance of Jinping II hydropower station underground caverns. First, the calculation method of the joint compliance tensor and equivalent elastic compliance matrix of the rock masses containing multiple joint sets was established considering the deformation characteristics of the joint system comprehensively based on the Oda fracture tensor theory and linear superposition principle. Second, an equivalent constitutive model for the jointed rock masses was established considering the joint spacing and connectivity. Finally, combined with the field investigation and monitoring data, the mechanical mechanism of unloading failure of the jointed rock masses in Jinping II hydropower station underground caverns was analyzed using the proposed model and numerical simulation.

Geological storage refers to the storage of energy, scarce and important strategic materials, as well as carbon dioxide sequestration in geological bodies or underground spaces. Geological storage is an important form of underground space utilization and a crucial measure for achieving energy transition and human green and sustainable development. With the continuous expansion of application fields, geological storage has developed into a new interdisciplinary field, involving geotechnical engineering, underground fluid resource development, fluid mechanics, rock mechanics, engineering thermophysics, geochemistry, energy conversion and utilization, and many other disciplines. Based on extensive research, this paper comparatively describes the main application scenarios, engineering progress, and major scientific and technological challenges of geological storage, and proposes key scientific issues that need to be addressed in future geological storage engineering, providing reference for the implementation of geological storage projects and scientific research. Article type: Review article Cited as: Liu JJ, Yang CH, Song R, et al. 2025. Advances of Geological Storage Engineering and Technology. GeoStorage, 1(1), 1-26.https://doi.org/10.46690/gs.2025.01.01

During rainfall infiltration process, the groundwater flow in saturated‐unsaturated zone of slope is a two‐phase seepage process of water and gas. Considering Buckley‐Leverett equation, a new mathematical model for saturated‐unsaturated seepage in rock and soil media was presented with the foundation of two‐phase seepage equation of continuity and Darcy’s law. The equations are discretized with finite difference dynamical method, based on which, a new three‐dimensional program is developed. Seepage process in a slope under rain condition was simulated using the new model, pore pressure and water saturation changes were simulated. The calculation case shows that the results obtained by the model are reasonable for saturated‐ unsaturated seepage problem.