200 Years old cauchy concept pointed the route to optimizing concrete porosimetry in Virtual reality

Abstract

The solution of a technical problem is in many cases potentially available however probably somewhat hidden in the literature. At least, research engineers in concrete technology have the tendency not to search for it but to come up with their own ideas. Unfortunately, not always of the same standard as guaranteed by the original source. Interestingly, many powerful theoretical concepts relevant for concrete technology are of stereological nature, although in many cases (much) older than stereology itself (Stroeven and Hu, 2006; Stroeven et al., 2009). With the development of stereology as a science since the foundation of the society for stereology in 1963, old roots became apparent: stereology avant la lettre. As a concrete technologist the second author of this fountain enjoyed several playful discoveries over the years that in some cases constituted old but reliable milestones along the route to solving popular problems in our field. Baron Augustin-Louis Cauchy (21 August 1789 – 23 May 1857) formed such a milestone. He was a French mathematician reputed as a pioneer of analysis. He was one of the first to state and prove theorems of calculus rigorously. Of the extensive oeuvre of Cauchy, two formulas – almost two centuries old – are of significance for concrete technology (and other branches of science) (Cauchy, 1882; Stroeven and Hu, 2006)