Non-coercive problems for elastic plates with thin junction

Abstract

We consider a non-coercive boundary value problem for two elastic Kirchhoff–Love plates connected to each other by a thin junction. The non-coercivity of the problem is due to the Neumann-type conditions imposed at the external boundaries of the plates. A solution existence is proved for suitable given external forces. Passages to limits are justified as a rigidity parameter of the junction tends to infinity and to zero. We prove that the model corresponding to the first limit case describes an equilibrium of elastic plates with a thin rigid junction; the second limit model fits to the equilibrium state of two elastic plates independent of each other.