A　large　amount　of　coal　gangue　is　generated　during　coal　excavation　and　preparation.　The　coal　gangue　accumulates　on　the　ground　surface　and　is　easily　affected　by　environment　and　causes　disasters.　The　mechanism　of　the　effects　of　drying-wetting　cycles　and　stone　content　on　the　strength　characteristics　of　coal　gangue　is　investigated　through　large-scale　direct　shear　tests.　The　influence　of　proportion　of　rock(PR　)　and　the　number　of　drying　and　wetting　on　the　volume　and　relative　breakage　rate(Br　)　of　soil-rock　mixture　was　revealed.　The　equation　of　shear　strength　degradation　of　soil-rock　mixture　under　drying-wetting　cycles　was　established.　The　test　results　showed　that　as　the　rock　content　increases,the　internal　friction　angle　of　the　coal　gangue　soil-rock　mixture　increased　linearly,while　the　cohesion　exhibited　a　downward　trend.　The　gangue　soil-rock　mixture　exhibited　obvious　shear　shrinkage　during　the　shear　process.　The　shear　strength　and　maximum　normal　strain　of　the　mixture　increased　with　an　increase　in　rock　content　but　decrease　with　the　number　of　drying-wetting　cycles.　The　shear　strength　of　the　soil-rock　mixture　significantly　deteriorated　during　the　first　drying-wetting　cycle,and　it　did　not　change　significantly　after　three　drying-wetting　cycles.　The　drying-wetting　cycle　enhanced　the　fragmentation　tendency　of　rock　in　the　soil-rock　mixture,raised　the　Br　of　the　rock,and　increased　the　content　of　soil　particles(particle　size＜5　mm).　The　Br　increased　with　the　number　of　drying-wetting　cycles,while　under　low　normal　stress(σ　n　=　200　kPa),the　drying-wetting　cycles　had　a　limited　impact　on　rock　fragmentation.　©　2025　Academia　Sinica.　All　rights　reserved.