Abstract: This study systematically investigates the formation mechanisms of water-mud inrushes in tunnel and underground engineering through comprehensive analysis of geological development characteristics, disaster-causing structure classification, failure modes, minimum safe thickness calculations, and multi-field information evolution patterns. The research summarizes the geological development characteristics and geological precursor information of water and mud inrush, establishes a computational method for determining the minimum safe thickness of inrushresistan rock masses under combined water pressure and blasting loads, while critically examining current research methodologies including numerical simulations and physical model tests along with their limitations. Key findings reveal that disaster-causing structures can be categorized into karst-type, fault-type, and special geological types.Distinct precursor signals are identified during tunnel construction near these structures, including rust-colored or wetted rock masses, increased spalling, and muddy seepage flows with sediment content. The onset of water-mud inrushes is characterized by abrupt decreases in rock temperature, seepage pressure and resistivity, coupled with sudden increases in microseismic activity and displacement monitoring data. The study highlights three emerging research directions for catastrophic evolution mechanism: continuum-discontinuum multiscale fluid-solid coupling analysis methods, true triaxial geomechanical visualization physical model testing techniques, and artificial intelligence interpretation-based fusion analysis of multi-source heterogeneous precursor information.