Optimal design of an elastic beam with a unilateral elastic foundation: Semicoercive state problem

A design optimization problem for an elastic beam with a unilateral elastic foundation is analyzed. Euler-Bernoulli’s model for the beam and Winkler’s model for the foundation are considered. The state problem is represented by a nonlinear semicoercive problem of 4th order with mixed boundary conditions. The thickness of the beam and the stiffness of the foundation are optimized with respect to a cost functional. We establish solvability conditions for the state problem and study the existence of a solution to the optimization problem.