A micromechanical model is proposed for a collection of cohesive zone models embedded between each mesh of a nite element-type discretization (cohesive-volumetric approach). The corresponding model concerns isotropic and elastic bulk behaviours and can be applied whatever the cohesive zone model, the mesh type and the triaxiality loading ratio. The overall elastic behaviour is derived using a variational approach Hashin and Shtrikman (1963); Suquet (1995) and is obtained as function of local parameters, bulk properties of relevant material and mesh density. For an isotropic discretization, a bound is obtained on the cohesive sti nesses: the additional compliance inherent to intrinsic cohesize zone models is bounded by lower value. Others criteria on cohesive parameters (critical opening, cohesive energy, peak stress, etc.) can be obtained trough inverse analysis.