An inter-ellipsoid contact detection algorithm was developed and used for s
imulating the behaviour of assemblies of ellipsoid-shaped particles using t
he well-known discrete element method (DEM). The contact algorithm was impl
emented in the modified version of the DEM program TRUBAL originally writte
n to simulate the behaviour of assemblies of spheres. The modified program
was used to perform deviatoric and axisymmetric compression tests on a 1000
prolate spheroid assembly in periodic space. The obtained stress-strain-di
lation curves conform with the experimental evidence both qualitatively and
quantitatively. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.