Fractal geometry model for effective thermal conductivity of three-phase porous media

An approximate model, a fractal geometry model, for the effective thermal conductivity of three-phase/unsaturated porous media is proposed based on the thermal-electrical analogy technique and on statistical self-similarity of porous media. The proposed thermal conductivity model is expressed as a function of porosity (related to stage n of Sierpinski carpet), ratio of areas, ratio of component thermal conductivities, and saturation. The recursive algorithm for the thermal conductivity by the proposed model is presented and found to be quite simple. The model predictions are compared with the existing measurements. Good agreement is found between the present model predictions and the existing experimental data. This verifies the validity of the proposed model. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Fractal dimensions for unsaturated porous media

The analytical expressions of the fractal dimensions for wetting and non-wetting phases for unsaturated porous media are derived and are found to be a function of porosity, maximum and minimum pore sizes as well as saturation. There is no empirical constant in the proposed fractal dimensions. It is also found that the fractal dimensions increase with porosity of a medium and are meaningful only in a certain range of saturation S-w, i.e. S-w > S-min for wetting phase and S-w < S-max for non-wetting phase at a given porosity, based on real porous media for requirements from both fractal theory and experimental observations. The present analysis of the fractal dimensions is verified to be consistent with the existing experimental observations and it makes possible to analyze the transport properties such as permeability, thermal dispersion in unsaturated porous media by fractal theory and technique.

Relationship between strain localization and catastrophic rupture

In order to explore a prior warning to catastrophic rupture of heterogeneous media, like rocks, the present study investigates the relationship between surface strain localization and catastrophic rupture. Instrumented observations on the evolution of surface strain field and the catastrophic rupture of a rock under uniaxial compression were carried out. It is found that the evolution of surface strain field displays two phases: at the early stage, the strain field keeps nearly uniform with weak fluctuations increasing slowly; but at the stage prior to catastrophic rupture, a certain accelerating localization develops and a localized zone emerges. Based on the measurements, an analysis was performed with local mean-field approximation. More importantly, it is found that the scale of localized zone is closely related to the catastrophic rupture strain and the rupture strain can be calculated in accord with the local-mean-field model satisfactorily. This provides a possible clue to the forecast of catastrophic rupture. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wave propagation and the frequency domain Green's functions in viscoelastic Biot/squirt (BISQ) media

In this paper, we examine the characteristics of elastic wave propagation in viscoelastic porous media, which contain simultaneously both the Biot-flow and the squirt-flow mechanisms (BISQ). The frequency-domain Green's functions for viscoelastic BISQ media are then derived based on the classic potential function methods. Our numerical results show that S-waves are only affected by viscoelasticity, but not by squirt-flows. However, the phase velocity and attenuation of fast P-waves are seriously influenced by both viscoelasticity and squirt-flows; and there exist two peaks in the attenuation-frequency variations of fast P-waves. In the low-frequency range, the squirt-flow characteristic length, not viscoelasticity, affects the phase velocity of slow P-waves, whereas it is opposite in the high-frequency range. As to the contribution of potential functions of two types of compressional waves to the Green's function, the squirt-flow length has a small effect, and the effects of viscoelastic parameter are mainly in the higher frequency range. Crown Copyright (C) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

El significado de lo cotidiano: plasmaciones políticas de los vínculos de vecindad en algunos concejos de la tierra castellana en la baja edad media

Resumen: Este trabajo analiza las “redes de confi anza” que construyeron los campesinos de los concejos de la Tierra en Castilla tardomedieval. Es por ello que se estudian los resultados políticos de este tipo de construcciones y los puntos en los que poder político, gobernantes y gente del común se encuentran para organizar la vida cotidiana.

Estado actual del bosque de galería en un tramo de la parte media de los ríos Ochomogo y Nandarola, municipio de Nandaime, Granada, Nicaragua, 2014

La Facultad de Recursos Naturales y del Ambiente (FARENA) en conjunto con el proyecto UNA-FAGRO DEPARTIR/ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL PARA LA SALUD Y SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA, FAO, consideraron como objetivo principal Diagnosticar el estado actual del bosque de galería en los ríos Ochomogo y Nandarola, del municipio de Nandaime, Granada. En el río Nandarola se inventarió un área de 23.33 ha, encontrándose 321 árboles en 62 especies y 29 familias; la especie más representativa es el Guácimo de ternero(Guazuma ulmifolia Lam) con 30 individuos, y la familia más representativa es Mimosaceae con ocho especies. El área inventariada del río Ochomogo fue de 8.18 ha, se identificaron 154 árboles en 37 especies y 24 familias; la especie más abundante es Tigüilote(Cordia dentata Poir) con 19 individuos, la familiacon mayor representatividad es la Mimosaceae con cinco especies. Las variables silviculturales, iluminación respecto al río Nandarola equivale a un 51% de iluminación vertical plena, un 52% poseen fustes rectos sin ningún daño, y un 65% se encuentra libre de lianas. Por otro lado en el río Ochomogo se encontró un 57% de árboles que recibe iluminación vertical plena, con una calidad de fuste recto sin ningún daño de 45% y el 65% están libres de lianas. En general se puede decir que la población local y circundante ejerce presión sobre el recurso bosque; el caudal del río ha disminuido notoriamente por las actividades de extracción de madera para consumo energético; se evidencia la sustitución de especies nativas por exóticas como Teca (Tectona grandis L.F), Eucalipto (Eucalyptus spp.) y Neem(Azadirachta indica A. Juss) en las áreas de las riveras de los ríos, el aumento de áreas para potreros y el establecimiento de pasto, de plantaciones de cultivos de plátanos y de micro fábricas de ladrillos.

Stress-distribution around a rigid line in dissimilar media

The elastic plane problem of a rigid line inclusion between two dissimilar media was considered. By solving the Riemann-Hilbert problem, the closed-form solution was obtained and the stress distribution around the rigid line was investigated. It was found that the modulus of the singular behavior of the stress remains proportional to the inverse square root of the distance from the rigid line end, but the stresses possess a pronounced oscillatory character as in the case of an interfacial crack tip.

Effects of contact resistance on thermal-conductivity of composite media with a periodic structure

The thermal conductivity of periodic composite media with spherical or cylindrical inclusions embedded in a homogeneous matrix is discussed. Using Green functions, we show that the Rayleigh identity can be generalized to deal with thermal properties ot these systems. A new calculating method for effective conductivity of composite media is proposed. Useful formulae for effective thermal conductivity are derived, and meanings of contact resistance in engineering problems are explained.

An asymptotic analysis for one dimensional stress wave propagation in damaged viscoelastic media

A regular perturbation technique is suggested to deal with the problem of one dimensional stress wave propagation in viscoelastic media with damage. Based upon the first order asymptotic solution obtained, the characteristics of wave attenuation are studied. In fact, there exist three different time-dependent phenomena featuring the dynamic response of the materials, the first expressing the characteristics of wave propagation, the second indicating the innate effect of visco-elastic matrix and the third coming from the time dependent damage. The comparision of first order asymptotic solution with the numerical results calculated by a finite difference procedure shows that the perturbation expansion technique may offer a useful approach to the problem concerned.

Thermal-conductivity of periodic composite media with spherical inclusions

The thermal conductivity of periodic composite media with spherical inclusions embedded in a homogeneous matrix is discussed. Using Green's function, we show that the Rayleigh identity can be generalized to deal with the thermal properties of these systems. A technique for calculating effective thermal conductivities is proposed. Systems with cubic symmetries (including simple cubic, body centered cubic and face centered cubic symmetry) are investigated in detail, and useful formulae for evaluating effective thermal conductivities are derived.

A general theory on media with randomly distributed inclusions .1. The average field behaviors

In this paper, a theory is developed to calculate the average strain field in the materials with randomly distributed inclusions. Many previous researches investigating the average field behaviors were based upon Mori and Tanaka's idea. Since they were restricted to studying those materials with uniform distributions of inclusions they did not need detailed statistical information of random microstructures, and could use the volume average to replace the ensemble average. To study more general materials with randomly distributed inclusions, the number density function is introduced in formulating the average field equation in this research. Both uniform and nonuniform distributions of inclusions are taken into account in detail.

The asymptotic near-tip solution for mode-iii crack in steady growth in power hardening media

Two local solutions, one perpendicular and one parallel to the direction of solar gravitational field, are discussed. The influence of gravity on the gas-dynamical process driven by the piston is discussed in terms of characteristic theory, and the flow field is given quantitatively. For a typical piston trajectory similar to the one for an eruptive prominence, the velocity of the shock front which locates ahead the transient front is nearly constant or slightly accelerated, and the width of the compressed flow region may be kept nearly constant or increased linearly, depending on the velocity distribution of the piston. Based on these results, the major features of the transient may be explained. Some of the fine structure of the transient is also shown, which may be compared in detail with observations.

Necking in uniaxial tension

Similar results may apply to the large-scale configuration of the stellar field.