Multiple solutions of some fourth-order boundary value problems (Q878532)

The authors study the fourth order boundary value problem \[ x^{(4)}=f(t,x),\quad t\in[0,1],\quad x(0)=x(1)=x''(0)=x''(1)=0, \tag{1} \] where \(f:[0,1]\times{\mathbb R}\to {\mathbb R}\) is a continuous function. They assume \(f\) to be Lipschitzian and strictly increasing in \(x\), superlinear at infinity, and moreover that (1) has strict lower and upper solutions. Then they obtain the existence of four solutions; if \(f(t,0)\equiv0\) they find a positive solution, a negative solution and a sign-changing solution. The setting is variational, using a version of a four-critical point theorem due to \textit{Z. Liu} and \textit{J. Sun}, see [J. Differ. Equations 172, No. 2, 257--299 (2001; Zbl 0995.58006)]. There are some innacuracies in the paper; namely the authors use a cone with empty interior, and they point out a generalization where \(x^{(4)}\) is replaced with \(x^{(4)}+mx\), (\(m>0\)) but this is possible only for a restricted range of values of \(m\).