In this study

uniaxial cyclic loading tests were carried out on granite specimens to study the relationship between acoustic emission (AE) characteristics and non-uniform deformation of rock materials during the cyclic loading process. The AE signals and the deformation images of the specimen surfaces were collected by using the AE system and CCD camera in the deformation and failure process

respectively. Combined with the digital speckle correlation method

the AE characteristics of specimens were investigated during the evolution process of non-uniform deformation. The research results showed that the minimum point of non-uniform deformation corresponded to the lowest point of unloading stress during each cyclic loading process. However

after the startup of the localisation band

the maximum point of non-uniform deformation lagged behind the vertex of loading stress in each cyclic loading process. There was a good correspondence between the non-uniform deformation evolution and the AE signal. During the cyclic loading process

the first turning and increasing point of non-uniform deformation is the starting point of the increase of AE signal

whereas the maximum point of non-uniform deformation is the starting point of the quiet period of the AE signal. With the increase of cyclic number

the degree of non-uniform deformation is negatively correlated with the Felicity ratio

that is

the greater the non-uniform deformation is

the greater the damage degree is

and the smaller the Felicity ratio is.