To investigate the long‐term stability of open‐pit mine slopes under the coupled effects of seasonal rainfall‐induced drying–wetting (D‐W) cycles and mining‐related transportation machinery loads, variable lower limit cyclic loading tests were conducted under a confining pressure of 1 MPa on intact dolomite specimens subjected to 0, 1, 5, 10, and 30 D‐W cycles. The evolution of physical and mechanical properties, energy dissipation behavior, and failure modes was systematically investigated. Results show that water absorption increased significantly from 0.48% to 1.56% with an increasing number of D‐W cycles, whereas the peak strength gradually decreased. Specifically, peak strain increased markedly in the early stage and then tended to stabilize. As the lower stress limit increased, the peak strength exhibited a quadratic trend. Moreover, when the lower stress limit was ≤ 15 MPa, cyclic loading produced a strengthening effect, with the peak strength increasing by up to 10.2%. The dissipated energy density increased significantly with the number of D‐W cycles, and a damage constitutive model—derived primarily from theoretical analysis and refined through empirical correction—was established. Moreover, increasing the lower stress limit promoted a transition in the macroscopic failure mode from tensile to shear failure, which was further intensified by D‐W cycling.

Rock fatigue damage and instability during failure processes involve continuous initiation, propagation, and coalescence of internal cracks accompanied by energy exchange with surroundings. Energy-based analysis provides fundamental insights into damage accumulation and transformation mechanisms. This paper systematically review the research progress on energy evolution patterns under various influencing factors, microstructural transformation mechanisms during damage development, and associated macroscopic mechanical behaviors. It synthesizes achievements in energy-based strength criteria, fatigue damage evolution models, constitutive relationships, and engineering stability assessments. Current limitations are identified, and future directions are proposed: 1) Investigating energy evolution mechanisms under multi-field coupling conditions; 2) Developing comprehensive energy-driven damage evolution laws and constitutive models; 3) Establishing energy-based fatigue life prediction frameworks for rock engineering applications. These advancements aim to enhance theoretical understanding and practical reliability in rock mechanics analysis.