Applications of Theories of Generalized Cosserat Continua to the Dynamics of Composite Materials

It is shown that the Cosserat continuum and the theory of elasticity with micro-structure can be interpreted as analytical models describing the dynamic behavior of a composite material. The nonclassical material constants are simply functions of the geometry and the classical constants of the two materials constituting the composite. The study of wave propagation in a laminated composite reveals that a more complex microstructure needs to be introduced in a continuum in order to describe adequately the dispersive character of (essentially) longitudinal waves.