The simulations of sedimentation of cylindrical particles falling against gravity are performed using a lattice Boltzmann method. The calculations of three-dimensional translation and rotation of cylinders are carried out. Cylindrical particle behavior is dominated by inertia effects associated with wakes. One cylindrical particle may be sucked in a strong wake behind other cylinder to form an inverted 'T' cluster. The long bodies of the cylinders turn horizontal dominantly due to a force couple generated by a high pressure at a stagnation point. These simulation results are well consistent with the experimental results of three-dimensional cylindrical and disk particles. It is demonstrated that the lattice Boltzmann method can handle cylindrical pal-tides in a three-dimensional space correctly. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.