This paper presents results concerning the validation of a recently developed packing algorithm. The basic ethos of this algorithm is to digitise particle shapes, and to use the digitised shapes to generate digital packing structures. A variety of simulations of packed columns, comprising mono, binary and ternary mixtures of spherical particles, have been undertaken and the results compared to existing experimental data with good agreement. The ultimate aim of this work is to develop the packing algorithm as a design tool for use in optimising the performance of packed bed systems and, as a first step, to enable the characterisation of any particle population and prediction of particle behaviour in packing, segregation and mixing. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.