  We introduce a new approach for retrieving effective parameters of
metamaterials based on the Bloch-mode analysis of quasi-periodic composite
structures. We demonstrate that, in the case of single-mode propagation, a
complex effective refractive index can be assigned to the structure, being
restored by our method with a high accuracy. We employ both surface and volume
averaging of the electromagnetic fields of the dominating (fundamental) Bloch
modes to determine the Bloch and wave impedances, respectively. We discuss how
this method works for several characteristic examples, and demonstrate that
this approach can be useful for retrieval of both material and wave effective
parameters of a broad range of metamaterials.
