Application of Maslov’s formula to finding an asymptotic solution to an elastic deformation problem

We propose a scheme of bifurcation analysis of equilibrium configurations of a weakly inhomogeneous elastic beam on an elastic base under the assumption of two-mode degeneracy; this scheme generalizes the Darinskii-Sapronov scheme developed earlier for the case of a homogeneous beam. The consideration of an inhomogeneous beam requires replacing the condition that the pair of eigenvectors of the operator [graphic not available: see fulltext] from the linear part of the equation (at zero) is constant by the condition of the existence of a pair of vectors smoothly depending on the parameters whose linear hull is invariant with respect to [graphic not available: see fulltext]. It is shown that such a pair is sufficient for the construction of the principal part of the key function and for analyzing the branching of the equilibrium configurations of the beam. The construction of the required pair of vectors is based on a formula for the orthogonal projection onto the root subspace of [graphic not available: see fulltext] (from the theory of perturbations of self-adjoint operators in the sense of Maslov). The effect of the type of inhomogeneity of the beam on the formof its deflection is studied.