Many factors are associated with the block caving mechanism and a fair knowledge of them will yield a better design and better mine operation. Many studies focus on large-scale rock fragmentation and macro-mechanical modelling is considered as their best solution for design analysis. Furthermore, many case studies with numerical simulations are carried out in continuum mechanics framework and this, despite a large time saving in computations, results in unrealistic modelling. Many numerical methods are now available for mining and rock engineering applications, most of them are continuum-based methods. In this poster, however, the most applicable and reliable numerical method in the rock engineering application is used - the distinct element method (DEM). The DEM is capable of modelling complex phenomena involved in an engineering design and has been proved to be sufficient and powerful enough to handle microscale and macroscale models. In this study two factors are assessed numerically. First, the effect of discontinuity planes in microscale is studied in detail to evaluate the microfragmentation mechanism in caving. Initiation, propagation and coalescence of microcracks is simulated. The next factor assessed is the effect of dynamic loads. Some DEM models of caving were analysed under far-field dynamic loads to evaluate the dynamic fragmentation of rocks. The study showed that the DEM method is applicable to microscale cave fragmentation and resulted in some interesting outcomes about microfracturing of discontinue rocks in a caving operation. Results showed that dynamic microscale fracture mechanics was very different from static loading and the fragmentation pattern was very complex and different in the propagation direction.CITATION:Shams, G, Mortazavi, A and Sharafisafa, M, 2016. Distinct element simulation of cave propagation with focus on discontinuities and dynamic loads, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), p 893 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).