An infinite dimensional Duffing-like evolution equation with linear dissipation and an asymptotically small source term

Abstract: We consider an abstract nonlinear second order evolution equation, inspired by some models for damped oscillations of a beam subject to external loads or magnetic fields, and shaken by a transversal force. When there is no external force, the system has three stationary positions, two stable and one unstable, and all solutions are asymptotic for $t$ large to one of these stationary solutions.We show that this pattern extends to the case where the external force is bounded and small enough, in the sense that solutions can exhibit only three different asymptotic behaviors.