Generalized nonlinear models of suspension bridges ✩

This paper generalizes some results established in [J. Malík, Nonlinear models of suspension bridges, J. Math. Anal. Appl., in press]. The geometric nonlinearity connected with the torsion of a road bed is included in the generalized model. The basic variational equations are derived from the principle of minimum energy. The existence of a solution to the generalized problem is proved. The existence is based on the Brouwer fixed-point theorem. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved