Estimating the overall properties of heterogeneous Cosserat materials

Classical homogenization methods do nor account for size effects in the eff ective properties of polycrystals: they do not predict the influence of gra in size nor the width of shear bands in localization phenomena. The polycry stal can be regarded as an example of a heterogeneous Cosserat material. A method is proposed to estimate the effective properties of aggregates of Co sserat media. A validation of the methodology is given in the case of linea r Cosserat elasticity. Some steps towards an extension of the self-consiste nt scheme to Cosserat materials are then presented.