Electronic Journal of Differential Equations, Vol. 2004(2004), No. 143, pp. 1–8. ISSN: 1072-6691. URL: http://ejde.math.txstate.edu or http://ejde.math.unt.edu ftp ejde.math.txstate.edu (login: ftp) TWIN POSITIVE SOLUTIONS FOR FOURTH-ORDER TWO-POINT BOUNDARY-VALUE PROBLEMS WITH SIGN CHANGING NONLINEARITIES YU TIAN, WEIGAO GE Abstract. A new fixed point theorem on double cones is applied to obtain the existence of at least two positive solutions to (Φp (y 00 (t))00 − a(t)f (t, y(t), y 00 (t)) = 0, 0 < t < 1, y(0) = y(1) = 0 = y 00 (0) = y 00 (1), where f : [0, 1] × [0, ∞) × (−∞, 0] → R, a ∈ L1 ([0, 1], (0, ∞)). We also give some examples to illustrate our results. 1. Introduction We study the existence of multiple positive solutions for the fourth-order twopoint boundary-value problem (Φp (y 00 (t))00 − a(t)f (t, y(t), y 00 (t)) = 0, 00 0 < t < 1, 00 y(0) = y(1) = 0 = y (0) = y (1), (1.1) (1.2) where the nonlinear term f is allowed to change sign, a ∈ L1 ([0, 1], (0, ∞)), Φp x = |x|p−2 x, 1/p + 1/q = 1, p > 1. When p = 2 Problem (1.1)-(1.2) describes the deformations of an elastic beam. The boundary conditions are given according to the control at the ends of the beam. A great deal of research has been devoted to the existence of solutions for the fourth-order two point boundary value problem. We refer the reader to [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 2] and their references. Aftabizadeh [1], [2], del Pino and Manasevich [3], Gupta [4, 5], Ma and Wang [6], Liu [9] have studied the existence problem of positive solutions of the following fourth-order two-point boundary-value problem y (4) (t) − f (t, y(t), y 00 (t)) = 0, 0 < t < 1, 00 y(0) = y(1) = 0 = y (0) = y 00 (1). All the above works were done under assumption that the nonlinear term f is nonnegative. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. 34B10, 34B15. Key words and phrases. Fourth-order two-point boundary-value problem; fixed point theorem; double cones; positive solution. c 2004 Texas State University - San Marcos. Submitted August 28, 2004. Published December 3, 2004. Supported by grant 10371006 from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China. 1 2 Y. TIAN, W. GE EJDE-2004/143 In this paper, we will impose growth conditions on f which ensure the existence of at least two positive solutions for (1.1)-(1.2). The key tool in our approach is the following fixed point theorem on double cones. For a cone K in a Banach space X with norm k · k and a constant r > 0, let Kr = {x ∈ K : kxk < r}, ∂Kr = {x ∈ K : kxk = r}. + Suppose α : K → R is a continuously increasing functional, i.e., α is continuous and α(λx) ≤ α(x) for λ ∈ (0, 1). Let K(b) = {x ∈ K : α(x) < b}, ∂K(b) = {x ∈ K : α(x) = b} and Ka (b) = {x ∈ K : a < kxk, α(x) < b}. The origin in X is denoted by θ. Theorem 1.1 ([10]). Let X be a real Banach space with norm k · k and K, K 0 ⊂ X two solid cones with K 0 ⊂ K. Suppose T : K → K and T 0 : K 0 → K 0 are two completely continuous operators and α : K 0 → R+ a continuously increasing functional satisfying α(x) ≤ kxk ≤ M α(x) for all x in K 0 , where M ≥ 1 is a constants b > a > 0 such that (C1) kT xk < a, for x ∈ ∂Ka 0 (C2) kT 0 xk < a, for x ∈ ∂Ka0 and α(T 0 x) > b for x ∈ ∂K (b) (C3) T x = T 0 x, for x ∈ Ka0 (b) ∩ {u : T 0 u = u} then T has at least two fixed points y1 and y2 in K such that 0 ≤ ky1 k < a < ky2 k, α(y2 ) < b. 2. Existence of positive solutions Lemma 2.1. Suppose g(·) ∈ C[0, 1], then (Φp (y 00 (t)))00 − g(t) = 0, 0 < t < 1, 00 (2.1) 00 (2.2) G(s, τ )g(τ )dτ ds, (2.3) y(0) = y(1) = 0 = y (0) = y (1), has a unique solution Z y(t) = 1 Z G(t, s)Φq 0 where 1 0 ( t(1 − s), G(t, s) = s(1 − t), 0 ≤ t ≤ s ≤ 1; 0 ≤ s ≤ t ≤ 1. Proof. Let Φp y 00 (t) = u(t), then (2.1)-(2.2) becomes u00 − g(t) = 0, 0 < t < 1; u(0) = u(1) = 0. It is clear that the above boundary-value problem has a unique solution, Z 1 u(t) = G(t, s)g(s)ds, 0 ( t(1 − s), 0 ≤ t ≤ s ≤ 1; . Then Φp y 00 (t) = u(t), i.e., y 00 (t) = where G(t, s) = s(1 − t), 0 ≤ s ≤ t ≤ 1. (Φq u)(t). By the boundary condition we know that Z 1 Z 1 Z 1 y(t) = G(t, s)(Φq u)(s)ds = G(t, s)Φq G(s, r)g(r)dr ds. 0 0 0 EJDE-2004/143 TWIN POSITIVE SOLUTIONS 3 The proof is completed. In this paper, we assume the following conditions: (H1) f : [0, 1] × [0, ∞) × (−∞, 0] → R is continuous, a ∈ L1 ([0, 1], (0, ∞)) (H2) a(t)f (t, 0, 0) 6≡ 0, f (t, 0, 0) ≥ 0 for t ∈ [0, 1]. Let X = {x ∈ C 2 [0, 1] : x(0) = x(1) = 0 = x00 (0) = x00 (1)}. Then X is a Banach space with the norm kxk = supt∈[0,1] |x00 (t)|. Define K = {x ∈ X : x is nonnegative and concave on [0, 1]}, 0 and K = {x ∈ X : x is nonnegative and concave on [0, 1], α(x) ≥ δ q−1 kxk, δ ∈ (0, 1/2)}, where α(x) = mint∈[δ,1−δ] {−x00 (t)}. Obviously K, K 0 ⊂ X are two 1 cones with K 0 ⊂ K. From the definition K 0 , we know that α(x) ≤ kxk ≤ δq−1 α(x), δ ∈ (0, 1/2). Denote Z 1 hZ 1 i+ (T x)(t) = G(t, s)Φq G(s, τ )a(τ )f (τ, x(τ ), x00 (τ ))dτ ds , 0 0 where B + = max{B, 0}. Z 1 Z (Ax)(t) = G(t, s)Φq 0 1 G(s, τ )a(τ )f (τ, x(τ ), x00 (τ ))dτ ds. 0 For x ∈ X, define θ : X → K by (θx)(t) = max{x(t), 0}, then T = θ ◦ A. For x ∈ K 0 , let Z 1 Z 1 (T 0 x)(t) = G(t, s)Φq G(s, τ )a(τ )f + (τ, x(τ ), x00 (τ ))dτ ds, 0 0 where f + (t, x(t), x00 (t)) = max{f (t, x(t), x00 (t)), 0}. Lemma 2.2. For x ∈ X, we have kxk∞ ≤ kx00 k∞ and kx0 k∞ ≤ kx00 k∞ where kxk∞ = supt∈[0,1] |x(t)|. Proof. From 1 Z x(t) = 1 Z G(s, r)g(r)dr ds G(t, s)Φq 0 0 and x00 (t) = −Φq Z 1 G(t, r)g(r)dr , 0 we have |x(t)| = 1 Z Z G(t, s)Φq 0 = 1 G(s, r)g(r)dr ds 0 1 Z G(t, s)|x00 (s)|ds 0 ≤ kx00 k∞ 1 Z G(t, s)ds 0 = kx00 k∞ Z = kx k∞ Z s(1 − t)ds + 0 00 t 1 t(1 − s)ds t t2 (1 − t) t(1 − t)2 + . 2 2 4 Y. TIAN, W. GE EJDE-2004/143 So kxk∞ = supt∈[0,1] |x(t)| ≤ 18 kx00 k∞ < kx00 k∞ . At the same time, from x0 (t) = R t 00 x (s)ds, we have kx0 k∞ = supt∈[0,1] |x0 (t)| ≤ kx00 k∞ . The proof is complete. 0 Note that X is a Banach space with the norm kxk = supt∈[0,1] |x00 (t)|. Lemma 2.3. T 0 (K 0 ) ⊂ K 0 . Proof. For any x ∈ K 0 , it is clear that (T 0 x)(t) is nonnegative from the definition of R1 T 0 . From (T 0 x)00 (t) = −Φq 0 G(t, s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds , we know (T 0 x)00 (t) ≤ 0. So T 0 x is concave on [0, 1]. Then Z 1 −(T 0 x)00 (t) = Φq G(t, s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds 0 1 Z G(s, s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds , ≤ Φq 0 which implies 1 Z k − (T 0 x)00 k∞ ≤ Φq G(s, s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds , 0 and α(T 0 x) = min [−(T 0 x)00 (t)] t∈[δ,1−δ] 1 Z = G(t, s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds min Φq t∈[δ,1−δ] = 0 min Φq Z t∈[δ,1−δ] t Z + 1 t(1 − s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds t s(1 − t)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds 0 ≥ min Φq Z t∈[δ,1−δ] 1 δs(1 − s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds t t Z δs(1 − s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds + 0 Z = Φq δ ≥δ q−1 1 G(s, s)f + (s, x(s), x00 (s))ds 0 0 kT xk. The proof is complete. For convenience, we denote Q = max Φq t∈[0,1] m= min min t∈[δi ,1−δi ] It is clear that 0 < m < Q < ∞. G(t, s)a(s)ds , 0 t∈[δ,1−δ] mi = 1 Z 1−δ Z Φq G(t, s)a(s)ds , δ Z 1−δi Φq G(t, s)a(s)ds δi . EJDE-2004/143 TWIN POSITIVE SOLUTIONS 5 From the continuity of f, a ∈ L1 ([0, 1], (0, ∞)). It is easy to see A : K → X and T : K 0 → K 0 are completely continuous. So T : K → K is completely continuous. 0 Theorem 2.4. Suppose (H1) and (H2) are satisfied and there exist a, b, d such that 0 < d < δ q−1 a < a < δ q−1 b < b. Assume that f satisfies the following conditions: (H3) For (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, b] × [−b, −d], f (t, u, v) ≥ 0 a (H4) For (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, a] × [−a, 0], f (t, u, v) < Φp ( Q ). b q−1 (H5) For (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, b] × [−b, −δ b], f (t, u, v) ≥ Φp ( m ). Then (1.1)-(1.2) has at least two positive solutions y1 , y2 such that 0 < ky1 k < a < ky2 k, α(y1 ) < δ q−1 b, ky1 k∞ < a, ky2 k∞ < b (2.4) Proof. First we show that T has a fixed point y1 ∈ K with ky1 k ≤ a. In fact, for any y ∈ ∂Ka , we have kyk = a. So 0 ≤ y(t) ≤ a, −a ≤ y 00 (t) < 0, t ∈ [0, 1]. Let I = {t ∈ [0, 1] : f (t, y(t), y 00 (t)) ≥ 0}. kT yk = max |(T y)00 (t)| t∈[0,1] 1 G(t, s)a(s)f (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds , 0 = max max Φq t∈[0,1] 0 Z ≤ max Φq G(t, s)a(s)f (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds t∈[0,1] I Z ≤ Φq max f (t, u, v) max G(t, s)a(s)ds Z t∈[0,1],0≤u≤a,−a≤v≤0 a max Φq Q t∈[0,1] = a. Z G(t, s)a(s)ds < t∈[0,1] I 1 0 The existence of y1 is proved by using condition (C1) of Theorem 1.1 and 0 ≤ y1 ≤ a, −a ≤ y100 ≤ 0. Obviously, y1 is a solution of (1.1)-(1.2). Suppose this is not true, then there is t0 ∈ (0, 1) such that y1 (t0 ) 6= (Ay1 )(t0 ). It must be (Ay1 )(t0 ) < 0 = y1 (t0 ). Let (t1 , t2 ) be the maximum interval such that (Ay1 )(t0 ) < 0 for t ∈ (t1 , t2 ). We claim [t1 , t2 ] 6= [0, 1] because of a(t)f (t, 0, 0) 6≡ 0 for t ∈ [0, 1]. If t2 < 1. y1 (t) = 0, t ∈ [t1 , t2 ]. (Ay1 )(t2 ) = 0, (Ay1 )(t) < 0, for t ∈ (t1 , t2 ). Then (Ay1 )0 (t2 ) ≥ 0. For t ∈ (t1 , t2 ), we have Z 1 00 (Ay1 ) (t) = −Φq ( G(t, s)a(s)f (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds) 0 Z = −Φq ( 1 G(t, s)a(s)f (s, 0, 0)ds) < 0. 0 So (Ay1 )0 (t) is decreasing for t ∈ (t1 , t2 ). Noticing (Ay1 )0 (t2 ) ≥ 0, so t1 = 0 and (Ay1 )0 (t) > 0, t ∈ [0, t2 ), (Ay1 )(0) < 0, which contradicts (1.2). If t1 > 0. So y1 (t) = 0, (Ay1 )(t1 ) = 0, (Ay1 )(t) < 0 for t ∈ (t1 , t2 ).(Ay1 )0 (t1 ) ≤ 0. Z 1 00 (Ay1 ) (t) = −Φq ( G(t, s)a(s)f (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds) 0 Z = −Φq ( 0 1 G(t, s)a(s)f (s, 0, 0)ds) ≤ 0. 6 Y. TIAN, W. GE EJDE-2004/143 So (Ay1 )0 (t) is decreasing for t ∈ (t1 , t2 ). So t2 = 1, (Ay1 )(1) < 0, which contradicts boundary condition (1.2). So y1 is a solution of (1.1)-(1.2). We now show that 0 (C2) of Theorem 1.1 is satisfied. For x ∈ ∂Ka , i.e., kxk = a, then 0 < x(t) < a, 00 −a < x (t) < 0 for t ∈ [0, 1]. kT 0 yk = max |(T 0 y)00 (t)| t∈[0,1] Z 1 = max Φq G(t, s)a(s)f + (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds t∈[0,1] 0 h + ≤ Φq max f (t, u, v) : t ∈ [0, 1], 0 ≤ u ≤ a, −a ≤ v ≤ 0 Z 1 i G(t, s)a(s)ds × max Φq t∈[0,1] a < Q = a. 0 1 Z G(t, s)a(s)ds 0 For y ∈ ∂K 0 (δ q−1 b), we have α(y) = δ q−1 b. So δ q−1 b ≤ kyk ≤ b, i.e., −b ≤ y 00 (t) ≤ −δ q−1 b for t ∈ [δ, 1 − δ], at the same time kyk∞ ≤ b. Then α(T 0 y) = − min (T 0 y)00 (t) t∈[δ,1−δ] Z = min Φq t∈[δ,1−δ] min t∈[δ,1−δ] G(t, s)a(s)f + (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds 0 Z ≥ Φq 1 1−δ G(t, s)a(s)f + (s, y(s), y 00 (s))ds δ > Φq min f (t, u, v) : t ∈ [0, 1], u ∈ [0, b], v ∈ [−b, −δ q−1 b] Z 1−δ × min G(t, s)a(s)ds t∈[δ,1−δ] =b>δ q−1 δ b. 0 Finally we show that (C3 ) of Theorem 1.1 is also satisfied. Let x ∈ Ka (δ q−1 b) ∩ {u : 1 1 T 0 u = u}, then kxk < δq−1 α(x). From α(x) ≤ kxk ≤ δq−1 α(x), we have min {−x00 (t)} = α(x) ≥ δ q−1 kxk > δ q−1 a > d . t∈[δ,1−δ] So −x00 ∈ [d, b]. From (H3), we have f (t, u, v) = f + (t, u, v), which implies T y = T 0 y. Therefore, there exist two positive solutions y1 , y2 satisfying (2.2). Remark. When p = 2, a(t) ≡ 1, f (t, u, v) > 0, δ = 1/4, Theorem 2.4 reduces to [9, Theorem 3.1]. But our result shows at least two positive solutions, whereas there is at least one positive solution in B. Liu [9, Theorem 3.1]. Theorem 2.5. Suppose (H1),(H2) hold. Also assume that R 1−δ (H6) δi ∈ (0, 1/2), i = 1, 2, . . . , n, 0 < δi i a(s)ds < ∞ EJDE-2004/143 TWIN POSITIVE SOLUTIONS 7 (H7) There exists constants ai , bi , di > 0, i = 1, 2, . . . , n, where 0 < di < δ q−1 ai < ai < δiq−1 bi < bi < di+1 such that for i = 1, 2, . . . , n, we have f (t, u, v) ≥ 0 for (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, bi ] × [−bi , −di ], ai f (t, u, v) < Φq ( ) for (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, ai ] × [−ai , 0], Q bi f (t, u, v) ≥ Φq ( ) for (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, bi ] × [−bi , −δiq−1 bi ]. mi Then (1.1)-(1.2) has at least n + 1 positive solutions y1 , y2 , . . . , yn+1 satisfying α(y2 ) < δ1q−1 b1 , 0 ≤ ky1 k < a1 < ky2 k ≤ b1 , 0 < ky2 k∞ < b1 , an < kyn+1 k, a2 < ky3 k, α(y3 ) < ... α(yn+1 ) < δnq−1 bn , 0 < ky1 k∞ < a1 , δ2q−1 b2 , 0 < ky3 k∞ < b2 , 0 < kyn+1 k∞ < bn . Theorem 2.6. Suppose (H1), (H2), (H6) hold. Also assume (H8) There exists constants ai , bi > 0, d, i = 1, 2, . . . , n, where 0 < d < δ q−1 ai < ai < δiq−1 bi < bi , such that for i = 1, 2, . . . , n, we have: f (t, u, v) ≥ 0 for (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, bn ] × [−bn , −d], ai for (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, ai ] × [−ai , 0], f (t, u, v) < Q bi for (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, bi ] × [−bi , −δiq−1 bi ], f (t, u, v) ≥ mi Then (1.1)-(1.2) has at least 2n positive solutions y1 , y2 , . . . , y2n satisfying 0 ≤ ky1 k < a1 < ky2 k, 0 < ky1 k∞ < a1 , ky3 k < a2 < ky4 k, α(y4 ) < ky2n−1 k < an < ky2n k, δ2q−1 b2 α(y2n ) < α(y2 ) < δ1q−1 b1 < α(y3 ), 0 < ky2 k∞ < b1 , < α(y5 ), δnq−1 bn , ky3 k∞ < a2 , ky2n−1 k∞ < an , ky4 k∞ < b2 , . . . ky2n k∞ < bn . Example. Consider the boundary-value problem y + π/6 √ 5 19 t 3 cos(y 00 + π) + = 0, 0 < t < 1, (Φ3 y 00 (t))00 − (2.5) 12 10 6 y(0) = y(1) = 0 = y 00 (0) = y 00 (1), √ 5 t where a(t) = t, f (t, u, v) = u+π/6 π))19 + 10 , p = 3, q = 3/2. Clearly ( 3 cos(v + 12 6 f is allowed to change sign on [0, 1] × [0, ∞) × (−∞, 0). √ Z 1 1/2 5 t 3 1/2 2 Q = max Φ3/2 G(t, s)a(s)ds = max ) = 3− 4 . (−t + 1) =( 27 t∈[0,1] t∈[0,1] 6 0 Note that Z 1−δ Z G(t, s)a(s)ds = (1 − t) δ 2 Z 1−δ (1 − s)sds s ds + t δ = t t 1 [−t3 + t(4δ 3 − 3δ 2 + 1) − 2δ 3 ]. 6 8 Y. TIAN, W. GE EJDE-2004/143 Let δ = 1/4, d = π/36, a = π/12, b = π/2. It is clear that d < δ 1/2 a < a < δ 1/2 b. Then r Z 1−δ 1 m = min Φ3/2 G(t, s)a(s)ds > . 24 t∈[δ,1−δ] δ √ For (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1]×[0, π/2]×[−π/2, −π/36], we have f (t, u, v) = u+π/6 ( 3 cos(v+ 6 5 t 19 + 10 > 0. So (H3) holds. For (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, π/12] × [−π/12, 0], 12 π)) √ 19 t u+π/6 √ 5 π 1 π f (t, u, v) = 6 3 cos(v+ 12 π) + 10 < 24 ×( 23 )19 + 10 < 0.6 < ( 12 ×35/4 )2 = Φ3 (a/Q). So (H4) holds. For (t, u, v) ∈ [0, 1] × [0, π/2] × [−π/2, −π/4], f (t, u, v) = √ 19 u+π/6 √ 5 t 3 cos(v + 12 π) + 10 > (π 6)2 > Φ3 (b/m). So (H5) holds. 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