Coking of coal blends using high-volatile coals with poor caking properties can be achieved by densifying the coal prior to carbonisation. In stamp-charged coke making, the coal charge is compacted to one large cake before entering the coke oven. A coal cake density of approximately 80% of the coal solid density is needed to produce a high-quality coke. Also, sufficient mechanical strength is required when transferring the cake from the stamping machine to the oven. To gain insight into the densification process and cake structure a 2-dimensional computational model based on the discrete element method (DEM) was set up. The model was validated against force and displacement patterns from laboratory stamping tests. Stamper movement in response to cake properties could be reproduced. The approach also enables tracking of cake porosity, particle rearrangement, stress and strain rates, etc. This offers additional possibilities for studying the densification process and understanding mechanical strength development. (C) 2013 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.