PERIODIC SOLUTIONS FOR A FOURTH-ORDER EQUATION AND APPLICATIONS IN A MODEL OF STRUCTURAL MECHANICS
Abstract
By developing topological shooting methods, the existence of single-humped periodic solutions and homoclinic orbit for a class of fourth-order ordinary differential equations is obtained, under some general conditions. Using these strict mathematical conclusions to a model of the deflection patterns of elastic struts resting on elastic foundations, the existence of single-humped periodic solutions which have been found by asymptotical and numerical methods is determined. An estimation of the half-period of the periodic solutions is also given.
Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province.