The　mechanical　and　deformation　properties　of　bolted　joints　are　important　research　issues　in　rock　mechanics　and　rock　engineering.　Quite　a　few　tests　have　been　performed　to　study　the　performance　of　rock　bolts　in　resisting　shear　loading.　The　effect　of　cyclic　shear　loadings　on　the　bolts　in　the　joints　under　different　joint　roughness　was　studied　through　a　series　of　shear　tests.　The　results　illustrate　that　the　peak　shear　strength　was　substantially　equal　to　the　residual　strength　with　the　increase　in　the　number　of　cycles,　and　the　slope　of　the　normal　displacement　curve　gradually　decreased.　When　the　number　of　shears　is　greater　than　three,　the　shear　stress　curve　and　the　slope　of　the　normal　displacement　curve　tend　to　be　stable　gradually,　which　means　it　has　completed　the　asperity　degradation.　The　cyclic　shear　loading　affects　the　rock　bolt　and　reduces　its　bearing　capacity.　For　specimens　with　larger　JRC,　the　peak　shear　stress　in　both　the　direct　shear　and　the　first　cycle　was　significantly　elevated　compared　with　small　JRC,　and　so　was　the　normal　displacement.　An　evaluation　index　of　shear　energy　loss　ratio　(SELR)　was　introduced　to　evaluate　the　shear　performance　of　the　rock　bolts　and　rock　joints　under　a　cyclic　shear　loading　condition.　When　the　JRC　is　large　enough,　the　asperities　are　difficult　to　degrade,　and　the　jointed　rock　still　has　a　more　remarkable　ability　to　resist　shear　deformation.　This　shows　that　JRC　significantly　affects　the　performance　of　joint　plane　and　rock　bolts　under　cyclic　shear　loading.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature.