En la actualidad la papa es consumida en casi todos los pueblos del Mundo, y es, junto al trigo, maiz y arroz uno de los cuatro cultivos basicos en la alimentacion humana. Antecedentes mundiales de 1991-1993 senalan que 275,4 millones de toneladas se produjeron en 18,13 millones de hectareas, con un rendimiento promedio de 15 t.ha-1. Los 5 principales paises productores de papa en el mundo en el ano 2003 fueron: China 55.813.331 t, Rusia 35.500.000 t, India 24.000.000 t, Estados Unidos 20.821.930 t y Ucrania 17.505.000 t, estos cinco paises concentraron el 53% de los 311 millones de toneladas que se produjeron. En la empresa La Cuba las labores agricolas al cultivo de la papa se realizan de forma mecanizada, esto implica un alto consumo de energia, que podria ser improductivo si no se explota la maquinaria eficientemente. El objetivo de este libro consiste en evaluar la energia consumida en la mecanizacion del cultivo de la papa a traves de la metodologia establecida, para la seleccion de la tecnologia mecanizada de mejor productividad energetica."

Mathematics is a universal language. Differential equations, mathematical modeling, numerical methods and computation form the underlying infrastructure of engineering and the sciences. In this context mathematical modeling is a very powerful tool for studying engineering problems, natural systems and human society. This interdisciplinary book contains a comprehensive overview, including practical examples, of the progress achieved to date in the modeling of coupled phenomena, computational mathematics and mechanics, heat transfer, fluid-structure interactions, biomechanics, and the flow of mass and energy in porous media. Numerical subjects such as grid generation, optimization, finite elements, finite differences, spectral methods, boundary elements, finite volumes and meshless methods are also discussed in detail using real examples.

The book provides a thorough presentation of the existing numerical techniques with specific applications to concrete, practical topics. The models and solutions presented here describe various systems: mechanical, biological, geophysical, technical, ecological, etc. The book is organized in thirty six chapters, each written by distinguished experts in their respective fields. The topics presented cover the current state of knowledge in numerical engineering practice including recent and ongoing developments and the presentation of new ideas for future research on applied computational engineering mathematics.

The book will be of interest to scientists working in engineering (structural, civil, mechanical), geology, geophysics, aquifer research, petroleum engineering, applied mathematics, and physics, as well as students in any of these areas.