  This article presents a new force model for performing quantitative
simulations of dense granular materials. Interactions between multiple contacts
(MC) on the same grain are explicitly taken into account. Our readily
applicable method retains all the advantages of discrete element method (DEM)
simulations and does not require the use of costly finite element methods. The
new model closely reproduces our recent experimental measurements, including
contact force distributions in full 3D, at all compression levels up to the
experimental maximum limit of 13\%. Comparisons with traditional non-deformable
spheres approach are provided, as well as with alternative models for
interactions between multiple contacts. The success of our model compared to
these alternatives demonstrates that interactions between multiple contacts on
each grain must be included for dense granular packings.
