Abstract: The excessive deformation of embankment dam during the water storage period will lead to the redistribution of structural stress, and then some parts will be damaged. In this regard, a large number of scholars have carried out a series of researches on the indoor moisture characteristics of dam materials and the finite element simulation of stress and deformation of embankment dam in the initial impounding stage. In order to further improve the deformation control level of embankment dam during the water storage period, the existing research results are summarized and analyzed. The results show that the core of indoor moisture test technology of dam material is the measurement of moisture deformation, water content and stress control, which need to be further optimized. As for the moisture mechanism, there is still a lack of effective verification. According to different decomposition modes of moisture deformation, different experiential models of moisture deformation can be obtained. The numerical simulation of "initial strain method" should assume the law of decomposition of moisture strain, and the moisture deformation obtained by "initial stress method" is small. Finally, a new research idea is put forward to research the relations of pore void ratio and saturation in the whole process of saturated water by replacing moisture deformation with moisture void ratio.