The Cretaceous system in the Ordos Basin exhibits characteristics such as high-water content, clay-bearing layers, and weak cementation, which have significant engineering and environmental effects, posing notable geological challenges for shaft construction. An analysis of the issues encountered during shaft sinking in Ordos Basin reveals that the ratio between frozen wall thickness and maximum shaft radius in Cretaceous strata often deviates by more than 50%. There is also a notable discrepancy between actual water inflow observed during excavation and the predicted amounts, complicating the control of key sinking parameters such as freezing, grouting, and open excavation. Traditional methods were proving inadequate, grouting was ineffective, and freezing methods carried significant risks. The challenges in shaft sinking are exacerbated by tectonic stress from the Yanshanian and Himalayan orogenic periods, which, combined with the heterogeneity of the strata, have led to the development of two major sets of regional structural fractures. These fractures exhibit early-stage uneven compression followed by asymmetric shearing, giving rise to compressive torsion characteristics. These structural fractures, located in the surrounding strata of the shafts, differ from larger faults and microcracks. Their scale, comparable to the diameter of the shafts, leads to complex, nonlinear interactions between groundwater, sandstone, fractures, and the shafts. These interactions can result in severe consequences, such as lining failure and shaft flooding. To address these issues, a compressive torsion fracture CT visualization system and a method for preparing water-rich, clay-bearing, weakly cemented sandstone have been developed. The goal is to reveal the characteristics, formation processes, and evolution of compressive torsion fractures, as well as the mechanisms of disaster caused by disturbances to these fractures. These researches will help establish precise, in-situ monitoring methods and lead to the development of a lining load model that accounts for the coupled effects of groundwater, sandstone, fractures, and shafts. Ultimately, it will support the innovative development of disaster prevention theories for shaft linings and provide the scientific basis needed to solve the geological challenges hindering shaft construction and operation in Western China.