Abstract Deep cement mixing (DCM) is an established ground improvement technique in geotechnical engineering, especially for enhancing the mechanical properties of soft soils. Its versatility has enabled successful applications in diverse construction projects worldwide. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the latest developments in DCM, encompassing its design principles, construction methodologies and engineering applications. The design section covers essential considerations and methods, including stability and bearing capacity of the DCM columns. The construction section examines various methods and equipment used for DCM implementation, showcasing the technique’s versatility and adaptability in different scenarios. The engineering applications section presents several case studies, quality control and performance monitoring. Additionally, this paper reviews recent progress in experimental model testing and numerical modeling techniques, providing insights into future developments and optimization of this essential geotechnical engineering technique.

Abstract Geological faults are key discontinuities in sedimentary basins and strongly influence the hydraulic and mechanical behavior of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Fault zones typically contain a low-permeability core and a more permeable damage zone, generating sharp contrasts in petrophysical and mechanical properties. Stress variations from production, injection, or geological storage may induce fault reactivation, dilatancy, and permeability enhancement, yet many numerical studies still treat faults as homogeneous features. This study develops a two-dimensional coupled hydro-mechanical framework that explicitly represents fault-core and damage-zone domains incorporating viscoelastoplastic behavior through a Mohr–Coulomb model with Perzyna viscoplasticity. The novelty of this approach lies in integrating realistic geological architecture with explicit core-damage-zone contrasts and coupled viscoelastoplastic analysis under production and injection scenarios in compartmentalized reservoirs. Based on seismic interpretation of the Laurentian Basin (offshore Canada), CODE_BRIGHT simulations model single-phase flow in a deformable reservoir to evaluate stress redistribution, permeability evolution, and deformation. Sensitivity analyses indicate that an injection pressure of 6.5 MPa triggers fault reactivation, causing dilation-induced permeability increases and establishing hydraulic communication between the deep reservoir and the overlying aquifer previously sealed by Faults 01 and 02. Fault reactivation induces an asymmetric deformational field, with horizontal displacements of approximately + 25 cm along Fault 02 and − 13 cm along Fault 01, and a distortional vertical response characterized by a dip-slip response with differential block-scale subsidence and uplift, with a maximum subsidence of ~ 7 cm. Shear stresses concentrate mainly along Faults 01 and 02, particularly near their tips, indicating stress redistribution toward Fault 03. These results underscore the importance of internal fault-zone heterogeneity in controlling deformation, stress evolution, and transmissivity, with implications for CO 2 storage, geothermal systems, industrial injection, and geotechnical applications.