Edinburgh Napier University

  This article describes the discrete element method (DEM) for the modeling of the geotechnical behavior of soils. Emphasis is made on a description of the algorithms and capabilities of the method rather than on the implementation details and equations which are well described in the existing literature. This article aimed to provide a quick guide for practitioners/researchers with some knowledge about the method, but without the time to implement and/or modify their own code. As such, plenty of references are provided, which may be used to explore further detail. Apart from a brief description of the requirements for realistic DEM simulations, a section on practical advice, which could only be gained with years of experience, is discussed.