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Exact Solutions > Linear Partial Differential Equations > Higher-Order Equations > Biharmonic Equation

5.3. Biharmonic Equation ∆∆w = 0

The biharmonic equation is encountered in plane problems of elasticity (w is the Airy stress function).
It is also used to describe slow flows of viscous incompressible fluids (w is the stream function).
In the rectangular Cartesian system of coordinates, the biharmonic operator has the form
∂4 ∂4 ∂4
∆∆ ≡ ∆2 = 4
+2 2 2 + .
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y 4

5.3-1. Particular solutions of the biharmonic equation:

w(x, y) = (A cosh βx + B sinh βx + Cx cosh βx + Dx sinh βx)(a cos βy + b sin βy),
w(x, y) = (A cos βx + B sin βx + Cx cos βx + Dx sin βx)(a cosh βy + b sinh βy),
p
w(x, y) = Ar2 ln r + Br2 + C ln r + D, r = (x − a)2 + (y − b)2 ,
where A, B, C, D, E, a, b, c, and β are arbitrary constants.

5.3-2. Various representations of the general solution.

1◦ . Various representations of the general solution in terms of harmonic functions:
w(x, y) = xu1 (x, y) + u2 (x, y),
w(x, y) = yu1 (x, y) + u2 (x, y),
w(x, y) = (x2 + y 2 )u1 (x, y) + u2 (x, y),
where u1 and u2 are arbitrary functions satisfying the Laplace equation ∆uk = 0 (k = 1, 2).
2◦ . Complex form of representation of the general solution:
£ ¤
w(x, y) = Re zf (z) + g(z) ,
where f (z) and g(z) are arbitrary analytic functions of the complex variable z = x + iy; z = x − iy,
i2 = −1. The symbol Re[A] stands for the real part of the complex quantity A.

5.3-3. Boundary value problems for the upper half-plane.

1◦ . Domain: −∞ < x < ∞, 0 ≤ y < ∞. The desired function and its derivative along the normal are
prescribed at the boundary:
w=0 at y = 0, ∂y w = f (x) at y = 0.
Solution: Z ∞
1 y2
w(x, y) = f (ξ)G(x − ξ, y) dξ, G(x, y) =.
−∞ π x2 + y 2
2◦ . Domain: −∞ < x < ∞, 0 ≤ y < ∞. The derivatives of the desired function are prescribed at the
boundary:
∂x w = f (x) at y = 0, ∂y w = g(x) at y = 0.
Solution:
Z · µ ¶ ¸ Z
1 ∞
x−ξ y(x − ξ) y 2 ∞ g(ξ) dξ
w(x, y) = f (ξ) arctan + dξ + + C,
π −∞ y (x − ξ)2 + y 2 π −∞ (x − ξ)2 + y 2
where C is an arbitrary constant.

1
2 BIHARMONIC EQUATION

5.3-4. Boundary value problem for a circle.

Domain: 0 ≤ r ≤ a. Boundary conditions in the polar coordinate system:
w = f (ϕ) at r = a, ∂r w = g(ϕ) at r = a.
Solution:
·Z 2π Z 2π ¸
1 [a − r cos(η − ϕ)]f (η) dη 1 g(η) dη
w(r, ϕ) = (r2 − a2 )2 − .
2πa 0 [r + a − 2ar cos(η − ϕ)]
2 2 2 2 0 r2 + a2 − 2ar cos(η − ϕ)

References
Sneddon, I., Fourier Transformations, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1951.
Lebedev, N. N., Skal’skaya, I. P., and Uflyand, Ya. S., Collection of Problems on Mathematical Physics [in Russian],
Gostekhizdat, Moscow, 1955.
Shilov, G. E., Mathematical Analysis: A Second Special Course [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow, 1965.
Bitsadze, A. V. and Kalinichenko, D. F., Collection of Problems on Mathematical Physics Equations [in Russian], Nauka,
Moscow, 1985.
Polyanin, A. D., Handbook of Linear Partial Differential Equations for Engineers and Scientists , Chapman & Hall/CRC,
2002.

Biharmonic Equation

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c 2004 Andrei D. Polyanin http://eqworld.ipmnet.ru/en/solutions/lpde/lpde503.pdf