One of the prominent concerns in rock slope stability analysis and design of earth structures is how crack propagation tendency in rock would impact the efficacy of precautionary measures. For this to be scrutinized, engineers need to consider influential factors such as loading magnitude and direction, crack density in the domain, as well as other contributing elements such as pore water pressure. While there is a broad literature on the aforementioned, the role of intermediate principal stress on rock behavior and its variations with time is known to a lesser extent due to the existing experimental limitations. Since the occurrence of earthquakes alter the distribution of stresses in active tectonic regions, newly-established domains with different mechanical and hydraulic properties would emerge. This necessitates more rigorous rock stability evaluations in domains wherein potentially new water pathways with different stress distribution mechanisms from before exist. In this work, the impetus for research on the relevant phenomena and recent advances in related studies as well as some theoretical backgrounds are elaborated upon. Furthermore, the results based on experimental observations are discussed and conclusions are drawn accordingly.