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A prototype modeling framework for the coupled simulation of excavation processes at the tunnel face and the subsequent transport of the foam-soil mixture within the pressure chamber of EPB shield machines is proposed. The discrete element method is used for the modeling of soil excavation and the stabilized finite element method, using a non-Newtonian fluid model, is employed for the modeling of fluid transport. A variational approach is applied to directly obtain interparticle parameters of the DEM from a macroscopic strength criterion. A 2D numerical simulation model for a simplified representation of the cutting process at the tunnel face and the transport of the excavated soil-foam mixture is used to demonstrate the proposed coupled excavation-transport modeling approach. According to the proposed coupled DEM-FEM model, the mass flow obtained from the excavation simulation by means of the DEM serves as the input for the finite element flow simulation to generate the pressure distribution within the excavation chamber. It is shown that the proposed approach helps to obtain insight into the coupled excavation and transport processes at the tunnel face and the spatiotemporal distribution of the face pressure. © 2017 by Begell House, Inc.