AbstractIt is generally observed that the stress state induced through traffic loads inside the substructure of pavements cannot be exactly reproduced in laboratory element tests. Moreover, there are not sufficient studies that examine the behavior of granular material under unsaturated conditions, although such conditions are very prevalent in pavement structures. In this research, an attempt is made to determine the cyclic plastic deformation characteristics of unsaturated granular base course material, and to examine the effect of the rotation of the principal stress axis (experienced by pavement elements under traffic loads) on the mechanical behavior of unsaturated granular base course material by applying various loading methods. A series of laboratory element tests using a multi-ring shear apparatus, which can take into account the rotation of the principal stress axis, were carried out on granular base course material under different moisture contents. The experimental results show that the moisture content has an obvious effect on both the shear behavior and the cyclic plastic deformation of granular base course material. However, the moisture content for the maximum deformation of granular base course material varies according to the loading method. It is also explained that cyclic plastic deformation considerably increases due to the rotation of the principal stress axis under repeated axial and shear loading tests. Therefore, the principal stress axis rotation has a significant influence on the cyclic plastic deformation of unsaturated granular base course material.