Fully nonlinear fourth-order equations with functional boundary conditions

The aim of this paper consists in to give sufficient conditions to ensure the existence and location of the solutions of a nonlinear fully fourth-order equation with functional boundary conditions. The arguments make use of the upper and lower solutions method, a φ-Laplacian operator and a fixed point theorem. An application of the beam theory to a nonlinear continuous model of the human spine allows to estimate its deformation under some loading forces. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved