Abstract: Granule rupture is prone to happen in coarse material under gravity and other loads. Granule rupture is random and uncertain, seriously affecting the mechanical properties of coarse materials. From the perspective of physical test in consideration of granule rupture, we introduced the constitutive models of coarse materials and the factors affecting granule rupture. We also described the effect of granule rupture on the coarse materials’ mechanical properties, and the limitation of physical model research in consideration of granule rupture. Furthermore, we expounded the numerical simulation methods such as DEM, PFC and DDA systematically and their defects, and put forward two solutions to break through the limitation that granule rupture couldn’t be considered by numerical simulation methods. At last, we presented future research direction and suggested that the relationships among structure factors in coarse materials should be established from mesoscopic mechanism.

Key words: coarse materials, mechanical properties, granules rupture, constitutive model, physical test, numerical simulation