Bull. Korean Math. Soc. 33 (1996), No. 4, pp.

503–512

THE EXISTENCE OF SOLUTIONS OF A

NONLINEAR SUSPENSION BRIDGE EQUATION

Q-HEUNG CHOI1 , KYEONGPYO CHOI AND TACKSUN JUNG2

ABSTRACT. We investigate a relation between the multiplicity of solutions

and
 πsource terms in a nonlinear suspension bridge equation in the interval
π
− , , under Dirichlet boundary condition, u tt + u x x x x + bu + = f (x),
2 2
where the nonlinearity −(bu + ) crosses an eigenvalue λ10 and f is generated
by φ00 , φ10 .

0. Introduction

In this paper we investigate a relation between the multiplicity of solutions

and
 source  terms in a nonlinear suspension bridge equation in the interval
− π2 , π2 , under Dirichlet boundary condition

π π
(0.1) u tt + u x x x x + bu + = f (x) in (− , ) × R,
2 2

π π
(0.2) u(± , t) = u x x (± , t) = 0,
2 2

(0.3) u is π −periodic in t and even in x and t,

Received October 20, 1995. Revised September 11, 1996.

1991 AMS Subject Classification: 35A05, 35B10, 35Q80.
Key words and phrases: Eigenvalue, multiplicity of solutions, variational redu- ction.
1 Research supported in part by GARC-KOSEF and NON DIRECTED RESEARCH FUND,

Korea Research Foundation.

2 Research supported in part by NON DIRECTED RESEARCH FUND, Korea Research

Foundation
 Q-Heung Choi, Kyeongpyo Choi and Tacksun Jung

where the nonlinearity −(bu + ) crosses an eigenvalue λ10 . This equation rep-
resents a bending beam supported by cables under a load f. The constant b
represents the restoring force if the cables stretch. The nonlinearity u + models
the fact that cables resist expansion but do not resist compression.
Let L be the differential operator, Lu = u tt + u x x x x . Then the eigenvalue
problem for u(x, t)
π π
Lu = λu in (− , ) × R
2 2
with (0.2) and (0.3), has infinitely many eigenvalues

λmn = (2n + 1)4 − 4m 2 (m, n = 0, 1, 2, · · · )

and corresponding eigenfunctions φmn (m, n ≥ 0) given by

φmn = cos 2mt cos(2n + 1)x.

We note that all eigenvalues in the interval (−19, 45) are given by

λ20 = −15 < λ10 = −3 < λ00 = 1 < λ41 = 17.

h i h i
Let Q be the square − π ,
2 2
π × − π , π and H the Hilbert space defined
2 2
by 
H = u ∈ L 2 (Q) : u is even in x and t .
Then the set of eigenfunctions {φmn } is an orthonormal base in H. Hence
equation (0.1) with (0.2) and (0.3) is equivalent to

Lu + bu + = f in H.

In this paper we shall concern with only the case that the nonlinearity −bu +
crosses an eigenvalue λ10 . In [3, 4, 6], the authors investigate the existence of
solutions of a nonlinear suspension bridge equation (0.1), where the forcing
term f is supposed to be 1 + h ( h is bounded ) and the nonlinearity −(bu + )
crosses an eigenvalue λ10 . Our concern is the case that f is generated by two
eigenfunctions φ00 and φ10 .

504
 The existence of solutions of a nonlinear suspension bridge equation

It is a well known fact (cf. Theorem 1.1 of [4]) that if f ∈ H and

−1 < b < 3, then equation (0.1) with (0.2) and (0.3) has a unique solution.
In this paper we suppose that 3 < b < 15 and f is generated by φ00 and φ10 .
Our goal is to reveal two regions R1 , R3 in two dimensional subspace space
of the Hilbert space H spanned by φ00 and φ10 that (i) if f ∈ R1 then (0.1)
has a positive solution and (ii) if f ∈ R3 then (0.1) has a negative solution (cf.
Theorem 1.1). Finally we give a conjecture which reveals a relation between
the multiplicity of solutions and source terms.

1. A Variational Reduction Method

In this section, we suppose 3 < b < 15. Under this assumption, we have
a concern with the multiplicity of solutions of a nonlinear suspension bridge
equation
(1.1) Lu + bu + = f in H
Here we suppose that f is generated by two eigenfunctions φ00 and φ10 , that
is, f = s1 φ00 + s2 φ10 (s1 , s2 ∈ R).
To study equation (1.1), we use the contraction mapping theorem to reduce
the problem from an infinite dimensional one in H to a finite dimensional one.
Let V be the two dimensional subspace of H spanned by {φ00 , φ10 } and W
be the orthogonal complement of V in H . Let P be an orthogonal projection
H onto V . Then every element u ∈ H is expressed by
u = v + w,
where v = Pu, w = (I − P)u. Hence equation (1.1) is equivalent to a system

(1.2) Lw + (I − P)(b(v + w)+ ) = 0,

(1.3) Lv + P(b(v + w)+ ) = s1 φ00 + s2 φ10 .
Here we look on (1.2) and (1.3) as a system of two equations in the two
unknowns v and w.
LEMMA 1.1. For fixed v ∈ V , (1.2) has a unique solution w = θ (v).
Furthermore, θ (v) is Lipschitz continuous (with respect to the L 2 norm) in
terms of v.

505
 Q-Heung Choi, Kyeongpyo Choi and Tacksun Jung

Proof. We use the contraction mapping theorem. Let δ = 1

2 b. Rewr- ite
(1.2) as
(−L − δ)w = (I − P)(b(v + w)+ − δ(v + w)),
or equivalently,

(1.4) w = (−L − δ)−1 (I − P)gv (w),

where
gv (w) = b(v + w)+ − δ(v + w).
Since
|gv (w1 ) − gv (w2 )| ≤ |b − δ||w1 − w2 |,
we have
kgv (w1 ) − gv (w2 )k ≤ |b − δ|kw1 − w2 k,
where k k is the L 2 norm in H . The operator (−L − δ)−1 (I − P) is a self
adjoint compact linear map from (I − P)H into itself. The eigenvalues of
(−L − δ)−1 (I − P) in W aren(λmn − δ)−1 , where o λmn ≤ −15 or λmn ≥ 17.
2
Therefore its L norm is max 1 , 1 . Since |b − δ| < min{15 −
15 + δ 17 − δ
δ, 17 + δ}, it follows that for fixed v ∈ V , the right hand side of (1.4) defines
a Lipschitz mapping W into itself with Lipschitz constant γ < 1. Hence, by
the contraction mapping principle, for given v ∈ V , there is a unique w ∈ W
which satisfies (1.2).
Also, it follows, by the standard argument principle, that θ (v) is Lipschitz
continuous (with respect to the L 2 norm) in terms of v.

By Lemma 1.1, the study of the multiplicity of solutions of (1.1) is reduced

to the study of the multiplicity of solutions of an equivalent problem

(1.5) Lv + P(b(v + θ (v))+ = s1 φ00 + s2 φ10

defined on the two dimensional subspace V spanned by {φ00 , φ10 }.

While one feels instinctively that (1.5) ought to be easier to solve, there is
the disadvantage of an implicitly defined term θ (v) in equation (1.5). However,
in our case, it turns out that we know θ (v) for special v’s.

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 The existence of solutions of a nonlinear suspension bridge equation

If v ≥ 0 or v ≤ 0, then θ (v) ≡ 0. For example, let us take v ≥ 0 and

θ (v) = 0. Then equation (1.2) reduces to

L0 + (I − P)(bv + ) = 0

which is satisfied because v + = v and (I − P)v = 0, since v ∈ V .

Since the subspace V is spanned by {φ00 , φ10 }, there exists a cone C1
defined by
C1 = {v = c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 | c1 ≥ 0, |c2 | ≤ c1 }
so that v ≥ 0 for all v ∈ C1 and a cone C3 defined by

C3 = {v = c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 | c1 ≤ 0, |c2 | ≤ |c1 |}

so that v ≤ 0 for all v ∈ C3 .

Thus, even if we do not know θ (v) for all v ∈ V , we know θ (v) ≡ 0 for
v ∈ C1 ∪ C3 .,
Now, we define a map 8 : V → V given by

(1.6) 8(v) = Lv + P(b(v + θ (v))+ ), v ∈ V.

Then 8 is continuous on V, since θ is continuous on V and we have the

following lemma.
LEMMA 1.2. 8(cv) = c8(v) for c ≥ 0 and v ∈ V.
Proof. Let c ≥ 0. If v satisfies

Lθ (v) + (I − P)(b(v + θ (v))+ ) = 0,

then
L(cθ (v)) + (I − P)(b(cv + cθ (v))+ ) = 0
and hence θ (cv) = cθ (v). Therefore we have

8(cv) =L(cv) + P(b(cv + θ (cv))+ )

=L(cv) + P(b(cv + cθ (v))+ )
=c8(v).

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 Q-Heung Choi, Kyeongpyo Choi and Tacksun Jung

Lemma 1.2 implies that 8 maps a cone with vertex 0 onto a cone with vertex
0. Now we investigate the image of the cones C1 and C3 under 8. First we
consider the image of the cone C1 . If v = c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 ≥ 0, we have
8(v) =L(v) + P(b(v + θ (v))+ )
=c1 λ00 φ00 − c2 λ10 φ10 + b(c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 )
=c1 (b + λ00 )φ00 + c2 (b − λ10 )φ10 .
Thus the images of the rays c1 φ00 ± c1 φ10 (c1 ≥ 0) can be explicitly calculated
and they are
c1 (b + λ00 )φ00 ± c1 (b + λ10 )φ10 (c1 ≥ 0).
Therefore 8 maps C1 onto the cone
   
b + λ10
R1 = d1 φ00 + d2 φ10 | d1 ≥ 0, |d2 | ≤ d1 .
b + λ00
Here the restriction 8|C1 : C1 → R1 is bijective. Second we consider the
image of the cone C3 . If
v = −c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 ≤ 0 (c1 ≥ 0, |c2 | ≤ c1 ) ,
we have
8(v) =L(v) + P(b(v + θ (v))+ )
=Lv + P(0)
= − c1 λ00 φ00 + c2 λ10 φ10 .
Thus the images of the rays −c1 φ00 ± c1 φ10 (c1 ≥ 0) can be explicitly
calculated and they are
−c1 λ00 φ00 ± c1 λ10 φ10 (c1 ≥ 0).
Thus 8 maps the cone C3 onto the cone
 
λ10
R3 = d1 φ00 + d2 φ10 | d1 ≤ 0, d2 ≤ | ||d1 | .
λ00
Here the restriction 8|C1 : C3 → R3 is bijective. We note that R1 is in the
right half plane and R3 is in the left half plane.

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 The existence of solutions of a nonlinear suspension bridge equation

THEOREM 1.1. (i) If f belongs to R1 , then equation (1.1) has a positive

solution.
(ii) If f belongs to R3 , then equation (1.1) has a negative solution.
Now we set

C2 = {c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 | c2 ≥ 0, c2 ≥ |c1 |},

C4 = {c1 φ00 + c2 φ10 | c2 ≤ 0, c2 ≤ −|c1 |}.

Then the union of C1 , C2 , C3 , C4 is the space V.
Lemma 1.2 means that the images 8(C2 ) and 8(C4 ) are the cones in the
plane V. Before we investigate the images 8(C2 ) and 8(C4 ), we set
   
λ  b + λ 
R20 = d1 φ00 + d2 φ10 | d2 ≥ 0, −| |d2 ≤ d1 ≤   d2 ,
00 00
λ10 b + λ10 
   
0 λ00 b + λ00
R4 = d1 φ00 + d2 φ10 | d2 ≤ 0, | |d2 ≤ d1 ≤ d2 .
λ10 b + λ10
Then the union of R1 , R20 , R3 , R40 is the plane V.
To investigate a relation between the multiplicity of solutions and source
terms in a nonlinear suspension bridge equation

(1.6) Lu + bu + = f in H

we consider the restrictions 8|Ci (1 ≤ i ≤ 4) of 8 to the cones Ci . Let

8i = 8|Ci , i.e.,
8i : Ci → V.
For i = 1, 3, the image of 8i is Ri and 8i : Ci → Ri is bijective. From now
on, our goal is to find the image of Ci under 8i for i = 2, 4.
Suppose that γ is a simple path in C2 without meeting the origin, and end
points (initial and terminal) of γ lie on the boundary ray of C2 and they are
on each other boundary ray. Then the image of one end point of γ under
8 is on the ray c1 (b + λ00 )φ00 + c1 (b + λ10 )φ10 , c1 ≥ 0 (a boundary ray
of R1 ) and the image of the other end point of γ under 8 is on the ray
−c1 λ00 φ00 + c1 λ10 , c1 ≥ 0 (a boundary ray of R3 ). Since 8 is continuous,
8(γ ) is a path in V. By Lemma 1.2, 8(γ ) does not meet the origin. Hence

509
 Q-Heung Choi, Kyeongpyo Choi and Tacksun Jung

the path 8(γ ) meets all rays (starting from the origin) in R1 ∪ R40 or all rays
(starting from the origin) in R20 ∪ R3 .
Therefore it follows from Lemma 1.2 that the image 8(C2 ) of C2 contains
one of sets R1 ∪ R40 and R20 ∪ R3 .
Similarly, we have that the image 8(C4 ) of C4 contains one of sets R1 ∪ R20
and R40 ∪ R3 .
LEMMA 1.3. Let A be one of the sets R1 ∪ R40 and R20 ∪ R3 such that it is
contained in 8(C2 ). Let γ be any simple path in A with end points on ∂ A,
where each ray (starting from the origin) in A intersect only one point of γ .
Then the inverse image 8−12 (γ ) of γ is a simple path in C 2 with end points on
∂C2 , where any ray (starting from the origin) in C2 intersects only one point
of this path.
Proof. We note that 8−1 2 (γ ) is closed since 8 is continuous and γ is
closed in V . Suppose that there is a ray (starting from the origin) in C2 which
intersects two points of 8−1
2 (γ ), say, p, αp (α > 1). Then by Lemma 1.2,
82 (αp) = α82 ( p),
which implies that 82 ( p) ∈ γ and 82 (αp) ∈ γ . This contradicts that each
ray (starting from the origin) in A intersect only one point of γ .
We regard a point p as a radius vector in the plane V . Then for a point p in
V , we define the argument arg p of p by the angle from the positive φ00 -axis
to p.
We claim that 8−1
2 (γ ) meets all ray (starting from the origin) in C 2 . In fact,
if not, 82 (γ ) is disconnected in C2 . Since 8−1
−1
2 (γ ) is closed and meets at
most one point of any ray in A, there are two points p1 and p2 in C2 such that
8−12 (γ ) does not contain any point p with
arg p1 < arg p < arg p2 .
On the other hand, if we let l the segment with end points p1 and p2 , then
82 (l) is a path in A, where 82 ( p1 ) and 82 ( p2 ) belong to γ . Choose a point
q in 82 (l) that arg q is between arg 82 ( p1 ) and arg 82 ( p2 ). Then there exist
a point q 0 such that q 0 = βq for some β > 0. But 8−1 0
2 (q ) meets l and
arg p1 < arg 8−1 0
2 (q ) < arg p2 ,
which is a contradiction. This completes the lemma.

Similarly, we have the following lemma.

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 The existence of solutions of a nonlinear suspension bridge equation

LEMMA 1.3’. Let A be one of the sets R1 ∪ R20 and R40 ∪ R3 such that it
is contained in 8(C4 ). Let γ be any simple path in A with end points on ∂ A,
where each ray (starting from the origin) in A intersect only one point of γ .
Then the inverse image 8−14 (γ ) of γ is a simple path in C 4 with end points on
∂C4 , where any ray (starting from the origin) in C4 intersects only one point
of this path.
With Lemma 1.3 and Lemma 1.30 , we have the following theorem, which
is very important to investigate a relation between the multiplicity of solutions
and source terms in a nonlinear suspension bridge equation.
THEOREM 1.2. For i = 2, 4, if we let 8i (Ci ) = Ri , then R2 is one of sets
R1 ∪ R40 , R20 ∪ R3 and R4 is one of sets R1 ∪ R20 , R40 ∪ R3 .
For each 1 ≤ i ≤ 4, the restriction 8i maps Ci onto Ri . In particular, 81
and 83 are bijective.
If we determine the images 8i (Ci ) for i = 2, 4, we can reveal a relation
between the multiplicity of solutions and source terms in the nonlinear bridge
equation. If the solution of (1.5) is in C1 , then it is positive. If the solution of
(1.5) is in C3 , then it is negative. If the solution of (1.5) is in IntC2 ∪ C4 , then
it has both signs.
Therefore we can get the following.
REMARK. We conjecture that 82 (C2 ) = R1 ∪ R40 , 84 (C4 ) = R1 ∪ R20 . In
this case we have: (i) If f ∈ I nt R1 , then equation (1.1) has a positive solution
and at least two sign changing solutions. (ii) If f ∈ I nt R20 or f ∈ I nt R40 ,
then equation (1.1) has at least one sign changing solution. (ii) If f ∈ R3 ,
then equation (1.1) has only the negative solution.

References
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(1979), 141-149.
3. Q. H. Choi and T. Jung, On periodic solutions of the nonlinear suspension bridge equation,
Differential and Integral Equations 4 (1991), 383-396.
4. Q. H. Choi, T. Jung and P.J. McKenna, The study of a nonlinear suspension bridge equation
by a variational reduction method, Applicable Analysis 50 (1993), 73-92.

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 Q-Heung Choi, Kyeongpyo Choi and Tacksun Jung

5. A. C. Lazer and P. J. McKenna, Critical points theory and boundary value problems with
nonlinearities crossing multiple eigenvalues II, Comm.in P.D.E. 11 (1986), 1653-1676.
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Q-HEUNG CHOI AND KYEONGPYO CHOI, DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS, INHA UNIVERSITY,

INCHEON 402-751, KOREA

TACKSUN JUNG, DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS, KUNSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, KUNSAN 573-

360, KOREA

512