Abstract: To develop a new nondestructive test method based on high nonlinear solitary waves (HNSWs), the propagation properties of HNSWs in one-dimensional granular chain were simulated. HNSWs can form and travel in highly nonlinear systems, such as one-dimensional granular chain. In the present study, a granular chain which was composed of twenty-one spherical particles and a coupled cylinder were modeled in the commercial software of Abaqus. The influence of mesh setup on the results of finite element calculation was discussed, and the optimal meshing grade was selected. The propagation and reflection behavior of the HNSWs in the coupled system were simulated by using the contact pair algorithm. The formation of HNSWs was discussed and the speed of the HNSWs was determined by using the extracted time-force profiles at the contact points. The good agreement between the simulated and theoretical speed verifies the feasibility of the proposed finite element simulation method. The reflection of HNSWs at the particle-cylinder interface can also be simulated and observed as the reflected solitary wave signal. Having the developed model, the characteristics of the reflected solitary wave signal can be investigated for specific cases to develop NDE method.