An introductory review of various concepts about first-order phase transitions is given. Rules
for classification of phase transitions as second or first order are discussed, as well as …

We review recent progress in the understanding of phase transitions and critical
phenomena, obtained by means of numerical simulations of the early dynamic evolution of …

Computer-simulation methods are by now an established tool in many branches of science.
The motivations for computer simulations of physical systems are manifold. One of the main …

The dynamics of concentration fluctuations in binary polymer mixtures AB, A and B being
long and flexible chains, is studied near the critical point of unmixing. A" hydrodynamic" …

Nucleation theory is considered in d-dimensional systems which undergo a nearly mean-
field-like transition, such as Ising magnets or mixtures with a large but finite range r of the …

We study the approach to global breakdown in disordered media driven by increasing
external forces. We first analyze the problem by mean-field theory, showing that the failure …

We introduce a continuous damage fiber bundle model and compare its behavior with that of
dry fiber bundles. Several interesting constitutive behaviors, such as plasticity, are found in …

We present a field-theoretic description of metastability and nucleation for arbitrary range
interaction models near the limit of metastability, ie, spinodal. We find that as the spinodal is …

The monograph is devoted to the description of the kinetics of spontaneous boiling of
superheated liquefied gases and their solutions. Experimental results are given on the …

We investigate the breakdown of disordered networks under the action of an increasing
external—mechanical or electrical—force. We perform a mean-field analysis and estimate …