Endpoint position compatibility for the Euler elastica ($\Delta y={\int }_0^L\sin \theta ds$)

Specifying endpoint tangent angles of an inextensible rod does not by itself specify its endpoint positions. A planar Euler elastica satisfies $x^{\prime }=\cos \theta$, $y^{\prime }=\sin \theta$, so equal endpoint heights require the displayed integral to vanish. For constant compressive resultant $(-P,0)$, the angular equation is $EI{\theta }^{\prime \prime }+P\sin \theta =0$, giving $P\Delta y=-EI[{\theta }^{\prime }(L)-{\theta }^{\prime }(0)]$. Thus a nontrivial branch containing an odd number of pendulum half-periods cannot have equal endpoint heights and the same zero endpoint angles with zero transverse resultant. At small amplitude the tangent-only eigenfunctions are $\sin (n\pi s/L)$, with $P_n=EI(n\pi /L{)}^2$; equal endpoint heights retain even $n$ and give the first fixed-clamp load $4{\pi }^{2}EI/L^2$. Other clamp modes can require a nonzero transverse reaction. Axial shortening is also needed when the reference endpoint separation equals the rod length.