Positive solutions and multiplicity of fourth-order \(m\)-point boundary value problems with two parameters (Q885333)

This paper is concerned with extensions of one or two positive solutions for the fourth-order \(m\)-point boundary value problem with two parameters \[ u^{(4)}(t) + \beta u^{(2)}(t) - \alpha u(t) = f(t,u(t),u''(t)), \quad 0 < t < 1, \] \[ u^{(2i-2)}(0) = \sum_{j=1}^{m-2} a_{ij} u^{(2i-2)}(\eta_j), \quad u^{(2i-2)}(1) = \sum_{j=1}^{m-2} b_{ij} u^{(2i-2)}(\eta_j), \quad i = 1, 2 \] where \(\alpha, \beta \in \mathbb{R}\), \(\eta_j \in (0,1)\), \(a_{ij}, b_{ij} \in [0,\infty)\) for \(i = 1,2\), \(j \in \{1,2, \dots, m-2\}\) are constants, and \(\alpha, \beta, f\) satisfy (\(H_1\)) \(f: [0,1] \times [0,\infty) \times \mathbb{R} \to [0,\infty)\) is continuous; (\(H_2\)) \(\beta < 2 \pi^2\), \(\alpha \geq {-\frac{\beta^2}{4}}\), \({\frac{\alpha^2}{\pi^4}+\frac{\beta^2}{\pi^2}} < 1\). Following a theory analysis of the Green function of the homogeneous boundary value problem, the original problem is translated into operator language in order to apply fixed point index techniques due to \textit{D. Guo} and \textit{V. Lakshmikantham} [Nonlinear problems in abstract cones. Boston, MA: Academic Press (1988; Zbl 0661.47045)]. The existence of positive solutions is equivalent to the existence of fixed points of a completely continuous operator. The main results are formulated in terms of the following growth constants associated with \(f\): \[ \begin{alignedat}{2}2 \max f_{d0} &= \limsup_{u \to 0^+} \max_{t \in [0,1]} \sup_{v \in [-d,d]} \frac{f(t,u,v)}{u}, &\quad \min f_{d0} &= \liminf_{u \to 0^+} \min_{t \in [0,1]} \inf_{v \in [-d,d]} \frac{f(t,u,v)}{u}\\ \max f_{\infty} &= \limsup_{u \to \infty} \max_{t \in [0,1]} \sup_{v \in \mathbb{R}} \frac{f(t,u,v)}{u}, &\quad \min f_{\infty} &= \liminf_{u \to \infty} \min_{t \in [0,1]} \inf_{v \in \mathbb{R}} \frac{f(t,u,v)}{u}, \end{alignedat} \] \[ L = \pi^4 -\beta \pi^2 -\alpha. \] One of the main results is as follows: Assume that, for each fixed \(t \in [0,1]\) and \(u \in [0,\infty)\), \(\sup_{v \in \mathbb{R}} f(t,u,v) < \infty\) holds. Suppose \((H_1)\) and \((H_3)\) hold, then under appropriate assumptions on the parameters in the boundary conditions, the boundary value problem has at least one positive solution provided either (i) \(\min f_{\infty} > L\) and there exists a \(d > 0\) such that \(\max f_{d0} < L\); or (ii) \(\max f_{\infty} < L\) and there exists a \(d > 0\) such that \(\min f_{d0} > L\). The second existence result deals with two positive solutions.