A fourth-order nonlinear boundary-value problem and an integral-type sign condition (Q920663)

The author considers the fourth-order nonlinear boundary value problem, motivated by a generalization of the static buckling of an elastic beam with sliding boundary conditions. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the boundary value problem to have at least one solution. The result is deduced under assumptions that the nonlinear function g(x,u) is nondecreasing in u, satisfies Caratheodory's conditions and a general integral sign condition, which can be satisfied for example with g(x,u) negative on a nontrivial set of x.