We consider a linear theory of elastic boundary reinforcement of a micropolar elastic solid subjected to plane-strain deformations. The reinforcement consists of a thin micropolar elastic coating bonded to part of the boundary of the solid. The elastic properties of the coating incorporate both classical and micropolar bending, extension and twisting effects. Interior and exterior mixed boundary problems are formulated and analyzed using the boundary integral equation method. The boundary value problems are reduced to systems of singular integro-differential equations to which Noether-type theorems are shown to apply. We consider also the corresponding boundary value problems based on an alternative lower-order shell model of the reinforcement. Finally, existence and uniqueness results are presented for the corresponding interior and exterior boundary value problems in the appropriate classical function spaces.
K E Y W O R D Sexistence of solution, micropolar boundary reinforcement, micropolar surface effects, plane micropolar elasticity, singular integro-differential equations