Abstract The abundance of granular materials and powders that are being used in several fields, along with their broad applications, requires a comprehensive understanding of both their macro- and micro-mechanical behavior. The fabric and structural properties, or the inter-particle properties, such as the angle of repose, do affect the behavior of granular materials. This comprehensive review indicates that the angle of repose of granular material is an essential parameter to understand the micro-behavior of the granular material and, then, to relate it with the macro-behavior. Therefore, this extensive review was prepared about the repose angle theory, its definitions, method of measurements, appropriate applications and the influencing factors.