Resumen

PEREZ-REA, María de la Luz et al. Hybrid percolation and finite element model for the micromecanical analysis of soils. Rev. mex. cienc. geol [online]. 2009, vol.26, n.2, pp. 335-346. ISSN 1026-8774.

Percolation models have been used in many areas of science for the modeling of diverse properties of materials. In this paper, a revision of such models, as well as a technical description of the percolation theory is presented. Micromechanical aspects of soils, defined by means of diverse experimental techniques, are also discussed. The advantages of combining the percolation theory with the finite element method is exemplified through the analysis of the stress-strain behaviour in regular network models, which represent the microstructure of clayey soils, to estimate the elastic module of the macroscopic soil. The obtained results closely resemble experimentally determined values. The scope of this new methodology is also discussed.

Palabras llave : soil; percolation; finite element; micromechanics; computational simulation; modeling.