Since its introduction the combined finite-discrete element method (FEM/DEM), has become an excellent tool to address a wide range of problems involving fracturing and fragmentation of solids. Within the context of rock mechanics, the FEM/DEM method has been applied to many complex industrial problems such as block caving, deep mining techniques, rock blasting, seismic waves, packing problems, rock crushing problems, etc. In the real world most of the problems involving fracture and fragmentation of solids are three dimensional problems. With the aim of addressing these problems an improved 2D/3D FEM/DEM capability has been developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). These capabilities include state of the art 3D contact detection, contact interaction, constitutive material models, and fracture models. In this paper, Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) Brazilian experiments are simulated using this improved 2D/3D FEM/DEM approach which is implemented in LANL's MUNROU (Munjiza-Rougier) code. The results presented in this work show excellent agreement with both the SHPB experiments and previous 2D numerical simulations performed by other FEM/DEM research groups.