The　shear　performance　of　bolted　rock　joints　under　cyclic　loading　condition　was　studied　through　laboratory　shear　tests.　The　tests　were　performed　on　a　cyclic　shear　testing　apparatus.　The　fully　encapsulated　rock　bolts　were　inserted　in　the　rock　joints.　The　upper　block　was　fixed　in　the　horizontal　direction,　and　the　cyclic　shear　load　was　applied　laterally　on　the　lower　block.　A　total　of　16　shear　tests　were　conducted　for　two　types　of　rough　joints.　The　results　showed　that　the　failure　mode　of　rock　bolts　in　cyclic　shear　test　was　different　with　the　case　of　direct　shear　test.　When　the　cyclic　displacement　was　small,　the　rock　bolt　played　a　very　small　role　in　the　second-to-fifth　cycles,　the　rock　bolt　remained　unbroken　during　cyclic　shearing.　The　shear　resistance　of　the　rock　bolt　would　gradually　recover　after　the　shear　displacement　has　exceeded　the　cyclic　displacement　in　the　termination　cyclic　after　five　cycles.　When　the　cyclic　displacement　was　large,　the　rock　bolt　broke　during　cyclic　shearing,　and　the　shear　resistance　could　not　be　recovered　in　the　termination　cyclic.　It　is　indicated　that　the　rock　bolt　had　completely　lost　its　supporting　role　after　cyclic　shear　loading.　The　shear　strength　reduction　of　bolted　joints　under　the　cyclic　loading　condition　was　much　significant　compared　to　the　un-bolted　joints.　Therefore,　the　influence　of　cyclic　loading　on　the　shear　resistance　of　the　rock　bolt　was　much　larger　than　its　counterpart　of　the　rock　joint　itself.　These　results　showed　that　the　shear　performance　of　a　rock　bolt　inserted　in　a　rock　joint　was　strongly　influenced　by　cyclic　shear　loading.　©　2019,　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature.