It is shown that second-order homogenization of a Cauchy-elastic dilute suspension of randomly distributed inclusions yields an equivalent second gradient (Mindlin) elastic material. This result is valid for both plane and three-dimensional problems and extends earlier findings by Bigoni and Drugan (Analytical derivation of Cosserat moduli via homogenization of heterogeneous elastic materials. J. Appl. Mech., 2007, 74, 741-753) from several points of view: (i.) the result holds for anisotropic phases with spherical or circular ellipsoid of inertia; (ii.) the displacement boundary conditions considered in the homogenization procedure is independent of the characteristics of the material; (iii.) a perfect energy match is found between heterogeneous and equivalent materials (instead of an optimal bound). The constitutive higher-order tensor defining the equivalent Mindlin solid is given in a surprisingly simple formula. Applications, treatment of material symmetries and positive definiteness of the effective higher-order constitutive tensor are deferred to Part II of the present article.

Starting from a Cauchy elastic composite with a dilute suspension of randomly distributed inclusions and characterized at first-order by a certain discrepancy tensor (see part I of the present article), it is shown that the equivalent second-gradient Mindlin elastic solid: (i.) is positive definite only when the discrepancy tensor is negative defined; (ii.) the non-local material symmetries are the same of the discrepancy tensor, and (iii.) the nonlocal effective behaviour is affected by the shape of the RVE, which does not influence the first-order homogenized response. Furthermore, explicit derivations of non-local parameters from heterogeneous Cauchy elastic composites are obtained in the particular cases of: (a) circular cylindrical and spherical isotropic inclusions embedded in an isotropic matrix, (b) n-polygonal cylindrical voids in an isotropic matrix, and (c) circular cylindrical voids in an orthortropic matrix.

Positive definiteness and symmetry of the constitutive tensors describing a second-gradient elastic (SGE) material, which is energetically equivalent to a hexagonal planar lattice made up of axially deformable bars, are analyzed by exploiting the closed form-expressions obtained in part I of the present study in the 'condensed' form. It is shown that, while the first-order approximation leads to an isotropic Cauchy material, a second-order identification procedure provides an equivalent model exhibiting non-locality, non-centrosymmetry, and anisotropy. The derivation of the constitutive properties for the SGE from those of the 'condensed' one (obtained by considering a quadratic remote displacement which generates stress states satisfying equilibrium) is presented. Comparisons between the mechanical responses of the periodic lattice and of the equivalent SGE material under simple shear and uniaxial strain show the efficacy of the proposed identification procedure and therefore validate the proposed constitutive model. This model reveals that, at higher-order, a lattice material can be made equivalent to a second-gradient elastic material exhibiting an internal length, a finding which is now open for applications in micromechanics.

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A second-gradient elastic (SGE) material is identified as the homogeneous solid equivalent to a periodic planar lattice characterized by a hexagonal unit cell, which is made up of three different linear elastic bars ordered in a way that the hexagonal symmetry is preserved and hinged at each node, so that the lattice bars are subject to pure axial strain while bending is excluded. Closed form-expressions for the identified non-local constitutive parameters are obtained by imposing the elastic energy equivalence between the lattice and the continuum solid, under remote displacement conditions having a dominant quadratic component. In order to generate equilibrated stresses, in the absence of body forces, the applied remote displacement has to be constrained, thus leading to the identification in a 'condensed' form of a higher-order solid, so that imposition of further constraints becomes necessary to fully quantify the equivalent continuum. The identified SGE material reduces to an equivalent Cauchy material only in the limit of vanishing side length of hexagonal unit cell. The analysis of positive definiteness and symmetry of the equivalent constitutive tensors, the derivation of the second-gradient elastic properties from those of the higher-order solid in the 'condensed' definition, and a numerical validation of the identification scheme are deferred to Part II of this study.

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The homogenization results obtained by Bacca et al. (Homogenization of heterogeneous Cauchy-elastic materials leads to Mindlin second-gradient elasticity. Part I: Closed form expression for the effective higher-order constitutive tensor. http://arxiv.org/abs/1305.2365 Submitted, 2013), to define effective second-gradient elastic materials from heterogeneous Cauchy elastic solids, are extended here to the case of phases having non-isotropic tensors of inertia. It is shown that the nonlocal constitutive tensor for the homogenized material depends on both the inertia properties of the RVE and the difference between the effective and the matrix local elastic tensors. Results show that: (i.) a composite material can be designed to result locally isotropic but nonlocally orthotropic; (ii.) orthotropic nonlocal effects are introduced when a dilute distribution of aligned elliptical holes and, in the limit case, of cracks is homogenized.

a b s t r a c t Some special problems for axisymmetric solids made of linearly elastic orthotropic micropolar material with central symmetry are dealt with. The first one is a hollow circular cylinder of unlimited length, subjected to internal and external uniform pressure. The second one is a hollow or solid circular cylinder of finite length, subjected to a relative rotation of the bases about its axis. In both cases, one of the axes of elastic symmetry is parallel to the cylinder axis; the other two are arbitrarily oriented in the plane of any cross-section of the solid. The elastic properties are invariant along the cylinder axis. It is shown that the two problems are governed by formally similar sets of ordinary differential equations in the kinematic fields (in-plane displacements and microrotations). In the general case, numerical solutions are derived. The solution for the cylinder subjected to radial pressure does not significantly differ from that obtained in classical elasticity, at least in terms of radial and hoop force stresses. In the case of a cylinder subjected to torsion the difference between the micropolar and the classical solutions is more pronounced. The torque induces twisting couple stresses about the cylinder axis of variable sign. Finally, size effects in terms of torsional inertia are pointed out.