Positive solutions to a fourth order boundary value problem (Q2430800)

The paper concerns the fourth-order ordinary differential equation \[ u''''(t)=g(t)f(u(t)),\quad 0\leq t\leq1 \] subject to the boundary conditions \[ u(0)=u(1)=0 \] and \[ \alpha u''(0)-\beta u'''(0)=\gamma u''(1)+\delta u'''(1)=0. \] Several sharp a priori estimates based on differential inequalities are obtained leading to the definition of a positive cone intended to contain the solutions. Then, the authors appeal to the Krasnosel'skii fixed point theorem of cone expansion and compression to prove the existence of positive solutions for some classes of nonlinearities. A result about nonexistence of solutions is also provided and an example illustrates the obtained results.