AbstractThe results of a series of true triaxial tests with stress paths involving large reversals under 3D conditions are presented. These tests were performed on medium dense Santa Monica Beach sand to provide experimental evidence for the rotational kinematic hardening hypothesis presented in a companion paper and to provide stress–strain and volume change relations for experiments with 3D stress paths and large stress reversals to be predicted by the rotational kinematic hardening model. The experimental equipment and the testing procedures are briefly explained followed by a presentation of the experimental results and their sensitivity to unknown causes as well as effects of cross‐anisotropy on the sand behavior. The stress paths are presented in a σ3′‐plane and in an octahedral plane and the directions of experimental strain increment vectors are compared with those obtained from the rotational kinematic hardening model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.