Abstract: This article briefly describes the modern numerical simulation methods in the development and practical application of engineering prospects. From the four aspects of the global, multi-scale, real-time dynamic and strong nonlinearity of modern numerical simulation methods, the trend and problems in the research and development of modern numerical simulation methods are analyzed. Then the numerical method based on the mesh and meshless method are discussed, focusing on the finite element method, finite difference method and smoothed particle hydrodynamics method, and comparative analysis of the practical problems of two numerical methods in engineering application progress and trend are conducted. Eventually, the numerical simulation method in practical engineering problems in the promotion and application of significance, and common problems in user applications are discussed.