Drill　and　blast　tunneling　is　a　cyclic　construction　process　in　which　the　rock　away　from　the　blast　hole　is　subjected　to　cyclic　blast　load　that　can　influence　the　dynamic　behaviour,　energy　characteristics　and　damage　evolution　of　the　rock.　To　study　the　dynamic　mechanical　properties　and　energy　evolution　of　granite　under　cyclic　impact　loading,　dynamic　tests　were　performed　on　100-mm-diameter　granite　samples　at　different　impact　velocities　using　a　split　Hopkinson　pressure　bar　system.　The　stress–strain　relationship,　energy　and　damage　evolution,　and　microscopic　features　of　the　rock　are　discussed　and　analyzed　in　detail.　The　results　show　that　the　stress–strain　relationship　of　the　granite　is　significantly　sensitive　to　both　impact　velocity　and　number　of　impacts.　At　the　same　impact　velocity,　the　peak　dynamic　stress　decreases　and　the　peak　strain　increases　linearly　with　the　increase　in　the　number　of　impacts,　while　the　peak　stress　decreases　significantly　and　visible　cracks　appear　or　the　sample　is　completely　destroyed.　Energy　evolutions　of　granite　samples　during　the　cyclic　impact　process　with　different　impact　velocities　present　a　uniform　variation　tendency,　and　the　impact　compressive　process　of　granite　samples　can　be　divided　into　three　stages:　linear　elastic　deformation　stage,　plastic　deformation-dominant　stage　and　rock　failure　stage.　The　cumulative　energy　dissipation　rate,　defined　as　the　sum　of　the　ratio　of　total　dissipated　energy　to　the　input　strain　energy　after　each　impact　loading,　is　proposed,　and　it　increases　linearly　with　the　number　of　impacts.　In　addition,　the　damage　evolution　and　microscopic　features　of　the　rock　after　cyclic　impact　loading　are　also　discussed,　and　the　microscopic　fracture　mode　changes　from　the　combination　of　intergranular　and　transgranular　fracture　to　transgranular　fracture　with　the　increase　of　impact　velocity.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature.