Title: Percolation theory in engineering: a practical approach

Authors: M.L. Perez-Rea, T. Lopez-Lara, J.B. Hernandez-Zaragoza, C.S. Lopez-Cajun, V.M. Castano

Addresses: Seccion de Graduados, ITESM-CEM, Carr. a Lago de Guadalupe km 3.5, Atizapan de Zaragoza, Estado de Mexico, 52926, Mexico. Division de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ingeniería, UAQ., C.U. Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Col. Ninos Heroes, C.P. 76010, Queretaro, Qro. Mexico ' Division de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ingenieria, UAQ, C.U., Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Col. Ninos Heroes, C.P. 76010, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico. ' Division de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ingenieria, UAQ, C.U., Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Col. Ninos Heroes, C.P. 76010, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico. ' Division de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ingenieria, UAQ, C.U., Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Col. Ninos Heroes, C.P. 76010, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico. ' Centro de Fisica Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, A. P. 1-1010, Queretaro, Qro. 76010, Mexico.

Abstract: Engineers work with a great variety of materials including porous media, polymers, composites, etc. A powerful tool for studying their behaviour and to model many of their properties, is the so-called Percolation Theory. However, many engineers face these types of problems via classical theories without the knowledge of the capabilities of innovative approaches such as percolation or sets renormalisation theory. In fact, many engineering problems could be satisfactory solved by resorting to the above mentioned theories. A review of the fundamentals of Percolation Theory as well as some examples of their use in solving actual engineering problems, is presented.

Keywords: percolation theory; porous media; transport phenomena; materials engineering.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2005.006460

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2005 Vol.22 No.4, pp.313 - 321

Published online: 10 Mar 2005 *

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