Under　cyclic　load　conditions,　rock　mass　engineering　such　as　tunnels　and　underground　storage　is　prone　to　large　deformation　and　collapse　due　to　the　gradual　deterioration　of　surrounding　rock　performance.　It　is　of　great　significance　to　study　the　shear　characteristics　of　rock　joints　and　macro-mesoscopic　mechanism　for　evaluating　the　service　safety　of　rock　mass　engineering　under　cyclic　load　conditions.　Joint　specimens　were　prepared　with　high　strength　gypsum,　cyclic　shear　tests　were　carried　out　under　constant　normal　load,　and　the　numerical　simulation　method　of　finite　element　and　discrete　element　coupling　was　used.　The　results　show　that　the　greater　the　roughness　of　joint　surface,　the　greater　the　peak　shear　strength.　In　the　same　number　of　cycles,　the　peak　shear　strength　decreases　with　the　increase　of　cyclic　shear　displacement.　The　average　dilatancy　angle　decreases　with　the　increase　of　the　number　of　cycles.　In　the　same　number　of　cycles,　the　average　dilatancy　angle　decreases　with　the　increase　of　cyclic　shear　displacement　and　increases　with　the　increase　of　joint　roughness.　With　the　progress　of　cyclic　shear,　the　stress　evolution　tends　to　be　stable,　and　the　number　of　cracks　decreases　with　the　increase　of　cyclic　shear　cycles.　©　2025　Emergency　Management　Press.　All　rights　reserved.