This dataset provides friction data from ring-shear tests colored quartz sand used for analogue modelling in the experimental tectonics laboratory at China University of Petroleum (Beijing). According to our analysis the materials show a Mohr-Coulomb behaviour characterized by a linear failure envelope. Peak, dynamic and reactivation friction coefficients of corundum sand are µP = 0.75, µD = 0.59, and µR = 0.67, respectively (Table 5). Cohesion of the material ranges between 20-90 Pa.

The tested bulk material consists of blue colored quartz sand with grain size of 180-380 µm and is sold under the name "Colored Sand" with the product number A1 by the company Xinran Mineral Products (1688.com).

The data presented here are derived by ring shear testing using a SCHULZE RST-01.pc (Schulze, 1994, 2003, 2008) at HelTec, the Laboratory for experimental tectonics at the Helmholtz Center Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. The RST is specially designed to measure friction coefficients µ and cohesions C in loose granular material accurately at low confining pressures (<20 kPa) and shear velocities (<1 mm/sec) similar to sandbox experi-ments. In this tester, a granular bulk material layer is sheared internally at constant normal stress σN and shear velocity v while shear force and lid displacement (corresponding to density and vol-ume change ΔV) are measured continuously. For more details see Klinkmüller et al. (2016).