7R3. Random Heterogeneous Materials: Microstructure and Macroscopic Properties. - S Torquato (Dept of Chem, Princeton Mat Inst, Princeton Univ, Princeton NJ 08544). Springer-Verlag, New York. 2002. 701 pp. ISBN 0-387-95167-9. $69.95.
Reviewed by HW Haslach Jr (Dept of Mech Eng, Univ of Maryland, College Park MD 20742-3035).
Random heterogeneous materials are those composed of randomly distributed phases or different material domains such as composites or materials with voids. The various domains forming the microstructure have macroscopic properties because they are larger than molecules. A major problem is to develop a rigorous method of characterizing the microstructure. Probability functions are used to describe the various microstructures, whether heterogeneous, homogeneous, isotropic, etc. A canonical n-point correlation function provides a unified means to describe arbitrary microstructures. The presentation is restricted to microstructures which are independent of time.
Several idealized models of the microstructure are presented. In a hard sphere model, the ill-defined idea...
