Direct numerical simulations based on a thermal Lattice-Boltzmann method are utilized to compute the effective thermal conductivity of particulate thermal interface materials (TIMs). By simulating the squeezing process, we obtain the particle distribution in a situation similar to application. Therefore, there is no need to calculate the average thermal characteristics from several pre-defined random distributions. The effects of particle volume fraction, particle size, and particle to matrix thermal conductivity ratio on the thermal performance are investigated. The results for the effective thermal conductivity are in agreement with the existing semi-analytical and experimental results reported in the literature. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.