Abstract: A series of sand direct shear numerical simulation tests were performed using the discrete element method, so as to investigate the inherent relation of meso-mechanics between the particle’s rotation-resistant capacity and the interaction of sands and soils in the case of rotational resistance. On this basis, the contact constitutive relation between sand particles was simulated with the rolling resistance linear model. Meanwhile, the feasibility of the sand direct shear numerical test was verified by numerically experimenting macro stress-strain characteristics, strength index and shear band deformation law that are similar to previous studies. In addition, from the meso scale, the average mechanical coordination number and the strong contact proportion in the sample decreased with the increase of the rolling resistance coefficient. After studying the anisotropic evolution law in combination with the tensors characterized by rose diagram, deviator fabric and second invariant, it is found that the anisotropy properties of the normal contact force and the tangential contact force are increased with the increase of the rolling resistance coefficient in the shearing process. The strong contact deviator fabric is greater than the overall contact deviator fabric. Besides, the tensors of normal contact forces are greater than those of fabrics, which has a variation law consistent with the macroscopic shear strength. It is evidently indicated that the rotational impedance principally improves the shear strength by increasing the magnitude of strong contact force between particles and the degree of anisotropy of the fabric. Also, the anisotropy of the normal contact force plays a pivotal role in resisting the shear strength.