Assessment of the Self Consistent Scheme Approximation: Conductivity of Particulate Composites

The "self consistent scheme" method of approximation for analysis of effective properties of particulate composites is gen eralized. Thereby is removed an arbitrary assumption underlying current versions of this method. Specific results are given for effec tive conductivity of particulate composites. It is shown that within the present generalized frame the "self consistent scheme" does not yield more information than existing rigorous best possible bounds for effective conductivity of two phase materials of arbitrary phase geometry, derived by Hashin and Shtrikman.