A variational approach to a problem of rotating rods (Q2639706)

The paper treats the problem of determining equilibrium configurations of a rotating elastic rod. The classical Bernoulli-Euler theory is used as in papers by \textit{F. Odeh} and \textit{I. Tadjbaksh} [ibid. 20, 81-94 (1965; Zbl 0136.223)] and \textit{N. Bezley} and \textit{B. Zwahlen} [ibid. 28, 51-58 (1968; Zbl 0162.117)]. Using variational arguments it is shown that the equilibrium equations \(u''=\lambda sign\theta;\theta''=\lambda u \cos\theta\) (0\(\leq s\leq 1)\); \(u'(0)=\theta '(0)=0\), have solutions with \(\theta (1)>\pi /2\) for large \(\lambda\). Those solutions, according to numerical experiments, do not seem to be stable according to the energy criteria.