diff --git a/cosserat-continuum.cc b/cosserat-continuum.cc
index 018c44375e508d44992c2b27f500967dd9ea2c7d..426d1561f03415d00ad120ccb6a7460daa951924 100644
--- a/cosserat-continuum.cc
+++ b/cosserat-continuum.cc
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public:
 
     // center of rotation
     FieldVector<double,3> center(0);
-    center[1] = 0.5;
+    center[1] = upper_[1]/2.0;
 
     FieldMatrix<double,3,3> rotation(0);
     rotation[0][0] = 1;