The rock mass is a nonlinear and discontinuous medium. Considered from the modern engineering scale
there should be a much better understanding of its physico-mechanical properties. Comparing with it
numerical simulation is a much better tool to know it because its merits of less time
low cost
simple manipulation. The basic situation of discrete element method which applies more extensively and develops more maturely among the discontinuous medium numerical methods is introduced
the several typical problems are expounded in detail
the researching progress of discrete element method is introduced in detail
and its relevant applications are also introduced
then the summaries are generalized
several developmental directions for the future are discussed.