The macroscopic behaviour of cohesive granular material in the FT4 shear tester is studied using the discrete element method (DEM). The shear test is simulated faithfully to the experimental procedure (filling, compaction, pre-shearing and shearing). The angle of internal friction and the apparent bulk cohesion are the macroscopic properties analysed as a result of the variation of the microscopic parameters: the sliding friction coefficient and the adhesive surface energy. The simplified JKR model was used to account for the cohesive contact between spheres. The results of the shear test show that the adhesive forces influence the dilatancy of the granular bed and the incipient failure point. In general, the shear stress increases with the adhesive energy. The sliding friction coefficient and the adhesive energy affect the yield locus and therefore the angle of internal friction and the apparent cohesion. Two correlations were established between the angle of internal friction and sliding friction coefficient and between cohesion and adhesive energy. The effect of the initial consolidation on the shear test results is also discussed. (C) 2019 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.