Abstract：Based on the background of deep mining，some conclusions related to effects of temperature and confining pressure on behaviors of deformation and failure of rocks at depth are reviewed. Regarding the process of rock yield deformation and failure as a process of energy release and energy dissipation，a failure criterion of deep rocks subjected to coupling effects of confining pressure and temperature is proposed according to the principle of least energy consumption. With a clear physical meaning，this failure criterion shows that if both the plastic dissipation energy and heat conduction dissipation energy caused by temperature gradient in rocks reach to a critical value，the rock will lose its load carrying ability.
