This paper describes the development of a prediction tool for a burden distribution of a blast furnace by using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). A high-speed video recording of the trajectory of particles discharged from the rotating chute, and its measurement were conducted in a 1/3-scale experimental blast furnace. Further, the behavior of the particles during the charging of the 1/3-scale blast furnace was modeled using the DEM, and the validation of the simulated result against the experimental outcome was completed. It was established that the particle velocity simulated by the DEM correlated very well with the experimental results, even at different recording areas and at several angles of chute inclination. The simulated particle trajectory agreed with the observations obtained, both by the impact test and image analysis. Therefore, it can be concluded that this method of particle simulation of the charging process is highly reliable when used for the prediction of particle trajectories in the blast furnace. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.