To　analyze　the　movement　of　discrete　rock　block　systems,　a　nodal-based　three-dimensional　discontinuous　deformation　analysis　method　with　contact　potential　(3D-NDDACP)　is　proposed.　In　the　proposed　3D-NDDACP　method,　tetrahedral　FE　meshes　which　can　be　effectively　generated　with　existing　mesh　generator　are　adopted　to　discretize　rock　blocks　to　better　capture　their　deformation.　Additionally,　the　contact　potential　is　incorporated　to　treat　the　contact　between　two　adjacent　blocks.　The　introduction　of　contact　potential　significantly　simplifies　the　implementation　of　the　proposed　3D-NDDACP　method,　since　the　contact　force　can　be　directly　computed　without　distinguishing　contact　types　between　any　two　adjacent　blocks.　However,　in　the　traditional　3D-DDA　method　it　is　essential　to　conduct　contact　type　judgment　before　computing　contact　forces.　Note　that　contact　type　judgment　is　not　a　trivial　task　for　3D　problems,　since　many　different　contact　types　including　point-to-point　contact,　point-to-edge　contact,　point-to-face　contact　and　edge-to-edge　contact　are　involved.　With　the　proposed　3D-NDDACP　method,　three　benchmark　problems　about　the　movement　of　rock　block　systems　are　investigated.　Numerical　results　obtained　with　the　proposed　3D-NDDACP　method　are　in　good　agreement　with　the　theoretical　solution,　which　means　that　the　proposed　3D-NDDACP　method　can　reliably　and　correctly　simulate　the　movement　of　rock　block　systems.　The　proposed　3D-NDDACP　method　warrants　further　investigation.