Shear　tests　on　sandstone　containing　non-connected　joints　under　the　unloading　normal　stress　but　fixed　shear　stress　conditions　were　conducted　with　various　initial　normal　stress　and　unloading　rate.　During　the　unloading　process,　continuous　shear　dilation　could　be　observed.　For　initial　normal　stress　=　5–20　MPa,　the　sliding　initiation　normal　displacement　decreased　by　17.14–66.32　%　but　the　sliding　initiation　shear　displacement　increased　by　21.91–98.19　%.　The　sliding　initiation　normal　stress　declined　by　7.18–15.57　%　for　unloading　rate　=　0.002–0.01　MPa/s　but　increased　by　a　factor　of　3.18–3.53　with　the　initial　normal　stress.　Shear　sliding　of　the　jointed　samples　was　more　prone　to　occur　at　a　smaller　initial　normal　stress　with　a　larger　unloading　rate.　From　the　numerical　simulation　results　via　PFC2D,　during　the　unloading　process,　cracking　was　first　initiated　from　central　part　of　the　rock　bridge　and　propagated　gradually　to　coalesce　with　cracks　developed　from　the　joint　tips.　The　penetrating　fracture　surfaces　led　to　shear　sliding　of　the　jointed　samples,　and　shear　wear　occurred　on　the　fractures　as　shear　displacement　continued　increasing.　For　unloading　rate　=　0.002–20　MPa/s,　quantity　of　cracks　corresponding　to　shear　displacement　of　1.2　mm　decreased　by　12.18–36.34　%.　Cracking　degree　was　more　serious　for　the　samples　at　a　low　unloading　rate　due　to　progressively　developed　cracks　near　the　main　failure　planes　before　shear　sliding　and　more　accumulated　cracks　in　the　shearing　wear　stage　for　fractures　under　a　larger　normal　stress.　©　2023　The　Authors