What Is Discrete Element Modelling (DEM)?
16 Feb 2026
Many materials around us don’t behave like solid blocks or flowing liquids. Sand, soil, gravel, and powders move in complex ways. They pile up, slide, collide, and settle depending on their surroundings. Discrete Element Modelling, or DEM, is a method used to study these movements in detail. It helps explain how individual pieces behave when they interact with each other and with surfaces. This makes DEM useful for understanding both natural landscapes and industrial systems. To see how DEM works, it helps to start with its basic idea and then explore how it’s used in real applications.
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