Random Networks and Mixing Laws

Abstract Random networks are investigated as models of heterogeneous media. A general approximate structure is used where the networks are described as a system of embedded networks, and the critical behavior and averaging behavior of such networks are developed. These results are applied to a study of the electrical conductivity of porous media, with special attention to an Archie's law behavior. It appears that the wide range of crack and pore widths in rocks makes the resulting conductivity relatively insensitive to the topology of their interconnections and allows one to make reasonable predictions of rock conductivities, given the distribution of crack and pore widths. It also appears that with low porosity rocks the conductivity is controlled by the microcrack population which only accounts for a fraction of the total porosity. It would seem, therefore, that Archie's law is a feature of some general trend between porosity and crack and pore width distributions rather than a fundamental property of porous media. The law of the geometric mean is an accurate predictor of the physical properties of a mixture of different materials. This mixing law can result from an equal balance of series and parallel arrangements which can be produced by an appropriate distribution of shapes. A brief look is given to problems of anisotropic distributions for the conductivity problem and it is shown how the averaging process greatly dilutes the microscopic anisotropy in producing the macroscopic properties.