The height of random k-trees and related branching processes

We consider the height of random k-trees and k-Apollonian networks. These random graphs are not really trees, but instead have a tree-like structure. The height will be the maximum distance of a vertex from the root. We show that w.h.p. the height of random k-trees and k-Apollonian networks is asymptotic to c log t, where t is the number of vertices, and c = c(k) is given as the solution to a transcendental equation. The equations are slightly different for the two types of process. In the limit as k → ∞ the height of both processes is asymptotic to log t/(k log 2).