Symmetry and rigidity for the hinged composite plate problem (Q1720288)

The authors study an eigenvalue optimization problem, the so-called composite plate problem in elasticity. Let \(\Omega\) be a bounded domain in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), \(0<h<H\), \(h|\Omega|<M< H|\Omega|\) and \[P= \left(\mu: \Omega\to \mathbb{R}\mid \int_\Omega \mu=M,\ h\le\mu\le H\text{ in }\Omega\right).\] Then they study the eigenvalue minimization problem \[Z(h,M,H)= \inf_{\mu\in P}\,\left(\inf_{u\in Q}\,\left(\int_\Omega|\Delta u|^2/\int_\Omega \mu u^2\right)\right),\] where \(Q= (H^2(\Omega)\cap H^1_0(\Omega))\setminus\{0\}\). A couple solution \((\mu,u)\) is called an optimal pair. The Euler-Lagrange associated equation is \[\begin{aligned} \Delta^2u = Z\mu u\quad &\text{in }\Omega,\\ u =\Delta u= 0\quad & \text{on }\partial\Omega,\end{aligned}.\] The properties of these systems concerning the maximum principle and positivity are largely exploited in order to study symmetry and rigidity of solutions. Theorem 1.1 claims that if \(\partial\Omega\) is \(C^4\) and \(\partial u/\partial n= c<0\) on \(\partial\Omega\), then \(\Omega\) is a ball and \(u\) is radially symmetric and decreasing, a result which is proved by using the moving plane argument in a rafined version. Theorem 1.2 gives symmetry and convexity results for \(u\) if \(\Omega\) is symmetric and convex with respect to some hyperplane. These results extend previous work by the same authors [Commun. Contemp. Math. 21, No. 2, Article ID 1850019 (2019; Zbl 1416.35102)].