On a nonlocal boundary value problem for a fourth-order ordinary differential equation (Q641958)

The authors study a variational setting associated to the following linear fourth-order ordinary equation subject to nonlocal boundary conditions \[ \begin{gathered} (k_1(x) u''(x))''-(k_2(x)u'(x))'+k_3(x)u(x) =f(x),\;x\in(-a,0),\\ u(-a)=u'(-a)=u'(0)=0,\\ \int_{-\xi}^0k_2(x)u'(x)dx-k_1(0)u''(0)+k_1(-\xi)u''(-\xi)=0,\;\xi\in (0,a). \end{gathered} \] The paper follows previous work of the authors [Differ. Equ. 45, No. 3, 335--343 (2009); translation from Differ. Uravn. 45, No. 3, 325--333 (2009; Zbl 1183.34020)].