The triaxial test is probably the most important fundamental laboratory test for geotechnical engineers. The objective of the study presented here was to gain insight into the micro-scale interactions experienced by particles during a triaxial test using the distinct element method (DEM). To achieve this objective, a novel DEM modelling environment to simulate triaxial tests on ideal granular materials was implemented, as described here. In this test environment, both the stress conditions and boundary conditions in the physical tests can be accurately reproduced. This approach was quantitatively validated by simulating a number of physical triaxial tests on specimens of steel spheres. A comparison between the circumferential periodic boundaries used here and the circumferential rigid boundaries used by other researchers emphasises the significance of maintaining a continuous particle–particle contact network orthogonal to the major principal stress direction. Results of an analysis of the micro-scale response in a triaxial simulation are analysed in detail, including the stresses, the distribution of contact forces, the evolution of fabric, the distribution of local strains, and the particle rotations. Significant non-uniformities in the stresses, strains and contact fabric were observed.