From the reviews: </p> This work represents the first part of an impressive two-volume book that describes various theoretical and computational approaches related to effective macroscopic properties of heterogeneous materials. A main goal is to compare two fundamental directions used to study the heterogeneous materials properties, namely the continuum mechanics approach and the discrete model approach. This multidisciplinary book is recommended to materials scientists, chemical and mechanical engineers, and applied physicists and mathematicians. (Olivian Simionescu, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1028, 2004)</p>