Rock　joints　will　undergo　a　sequence　of　cyclic　shearing　loadings　during　a　seismic　event.　However,　the　effect　of　cyclic　shear　loading　on　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　has　never　been　studied　before.　Laboratory　shear　experiments　were　carried　out　to　study　the　shear　behaviour　of　rock　joints　reinforced　by　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　under　cyclic　loading　condition.　The　results　illustrated　that　the　support　effect　of　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　was　very　small　after　the　first　cycles　in　the　cyclic　shear　experiments.　In　the　case　of　small　cyclic　distances,　the　shear　resistance　of　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　will　gradually　recover　after　the　shear　displacement　has　exceeded　the　cyclic　distance　in　the　subsequent　shear　experiment　after　5　cycles.　In　the　case　of　large　cyclic　distances,　no　recovery　of　shear　resistance　was　found　in　the　subsequent　shear　experiment,　indicating　that　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　had　completely　lost　its　supporting　role　after　cyclic　shear　loading.　A　new　index　of　shear　energy　loss　ratio　(SELR)　was　proposed　to　evaluate　the　shear　behaviour　of　energy-absorbing　rock　bolt　and　rock　joint　under　cyclic　shear　loading　condition.　The　results　showed　that　the　SELR　of　rock　joints　was　commonly　less　than　20%.　However,　the　SELR　of　rock　bolts　could　reach　nearly　100%　when　the　cyclic　distance　was　larger　than　8　mm.　When　the　cyclic　distance　was　4　mm　or　6　mm,　the　SELR　of　the　fully　encapsulated　rock　bolts　almost　reached　100%.　However,　the　SELR　of　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　were　located　in　the　range　of　50–80%　for　the　same　condition.　The　results　indicated　that　the　shear　behaviour　of　a　rock　bolt　inserted　in　a　rock　joint　was　strongly　influenced　by　cyclic　shear　loading.　The　shear　performance　of　the　energy-absorbing　rock　bolts　was　better　than　the　fully　encapsulated　rock　bolts　under　cyclic　shear　loading　conditions.　©　2018　Elsevier　Ltd