The design of a computer-controlled climatic simulation cabinet used for mechanical weathering studies on Antarctic rocks is described. It is argued that if the results of simulations are to be applicable to field situations they should be firmly based on field environmental conditions. Some weathering results from a laboratory simulation based upon microclimatic data collected from the maritime Antarctic are presented and it is shown that they could not have been obtained from field measurements alone. Further simulation studies are required for the Antarctic and it is argued that the nature of Antarctic research is such that it is particularly conducive to this type of approach.