Existence and non-existence of global solutions for a class of non-linear wave equations

Abstract

This paper studies the existence and the non-existence of global solutions to the initial boundary value problems for the non-linear wave equation utt + uxxxx = σ(ux)x + f(x, t) and the Boussinesq-type equation utt + uxxxx = σ(u)xx + f(x, t). The paper proves that every above-mentioned problem has a unique global solution under rather mild confining conditions, and arrives at some sufficient conditions of blow-up of the solutions in finite time. Finally, a few examples are given. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.