Zeinab Aliabadian - Faculty of Civil Engineering, KNTU, Tehran, Iran
Mansour Sharafisafa - School of Mining Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Akira Sato - Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan

The combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) is an exceptional candidate for dealing with fracture development in fractured rocks under complex loading conditions. Since this method has recently been extensively applied to rock engineering, this review article aims first to introduce the method, explain its algorithm, discuss its use in other fields, and work out the application of the FDEM in some rock mechanics problems. The applications include Brazilian test simulation, uniaxial compressive test, rock blasting, hydraulic fracturing, heat and fluid flow in fractured rock, and fracture development in heterogeneous rocks

FDEM, Rock fracture.