Editorial: Evolution mechanism and prevention technology of karst geological engineering disasters

Soluble rocks such as limestone and dolomite can form karst features, including caves, sinkholes, and solution grooves through prolonged groundwater erosion (Parise et al., 2015). Karst landscapes are widespread globally. Construction in karst areas often faces sudden and severe ground collapse risks, endangering project safety, structural integrity, and personnel well-being. Therefore, the detection, assessment, and treatment of karst formations are crucial in engineering.Geotechnical investigation in karst regions necessarily includes karst detection. Current methods are diverse, primarily comprising geological mapping, engineering drilling, and geophysical exploration (Li and Xiao, 2006;Goldscheider et al., 2011;Kaufmann, 2014). Among these, geophysical techniques impose relatively fewer constraints and are more widely applied. Wang et al. (2025a) detailed the principles and data processing methods of four geophysical exploration approaches for karst detection: multi-electrode resistivity, cross-hole electromagnetic wave computed tomography, microtremor survey, and ground-penetrating radar.They compared the applicability of each method through case studies. A novel one-shaped layout 3D electrical exploration model has been proposed for detecting karst groundwater channels, improving exploration efficiency by 85.9% over conventional methods while maintaining high accuracy (Wang et al., 2025b).Karst collapse, a common hazard in such regions, is characterized by strong concealment, abrupt occurrence, and high destructiveness, capable of causing sudden surface subsidence and damage to structures. Thus, assessing and predicting karst collapse is essential.Machine learning has been a transformative tool in addressing various science and technology problems (Qu et al. 2021, Qu et al. 2023) .For example, it has been used for predicting potential hazards in tunnel engineering (Zhang et al., 2025;Qu et al., 2025;Yuan et al., 2026). To address the need for high-precision karst collapse assessment, Wang et al. The mechanism of dynamic grouting with self-expanding slurry for water plugging in karst tunnels was examined by Zhan et al. (2025). Tang et al. (2025) revealed that karst water erosion causes grouting curtain leakage mainly due to severe degradation of cement-clay composites, which are less durable than pure cement grouts. The pressure filtration effect in karst areas significantly enhances the initial consolidation strength of grouted curtains, necessitating a revised life prediction model that incorporates this effect for accurate service life forecasting, as validated through experiments and field application (Yan et al., 2025). Yao et al. (2025) demonstrated that integrating high-density resistivity and frequency-division electrical resistivity tomography with geological methods provides an accurate, practical, and broadly applicable approach for diagnosing leakage risks in karst reservoir dams.Shield tunneling through karst strata poses risks such as shield machine sinking, head pitching, ground settlement or collapse, and excessive postconstruction settlement (Cheng et al., 2017), which can cause serious hazards, significant economic loss, and even casualties (Xie et al., 2025;Ou et al., 2025b).Based on a shield tunneling project in Shenzhen, China, Li et al. (2025) proposed a membrane-sleeve valve pipe grouting technique for reinforcing karst strata, building on conventional sleeve valve pipe grouting. They detailed its key construction points and process, with field tests confirming its applicability. A combined short straight-hole and wedge compound cut blasting scheme was proposed and tested in a hard rock tunnel (Tu et al., 2025). Various machine learning techniques have been leveraged to integrate geological records and tunneling parameters for predicting rock grades (Dang et al., 2025). Mechanistic analysis of TBM cutterhead-ground interaction under the mud build-up effect was explored by Wang et al. (2025d).Finally, we extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to this special issue. Their contributions include not only theoretical breakthroughs but also the accumulation and sharing of practical engineering experience. Through their dedicated efforts, challenges in karst construction are being progressively overcome, providing valuable references and insights for similar projects.PL: Conceptualization, Writing-original draft. PC: Investigation, Writing review and editing. XS: Writing-review and editing. XF: Writingreview and editing. CZ: Writing-original draft.