Equilibrium and stability of an elastic meniscus

A liquid-air interface touching a solid wall gives rise to a liquid meniscus, whose shape has been well known for two centuries and results from the balance between capillarity and gravity. We investigate the case in which a portion of the liquid interface has been replaced by a soft strip, adding the elastic ingredient to this physical problem. We experimentally study the equilibrium configurations, from small to high non-linear deformations, and we compare to a 2D theoretical model. Stability of the system involving 3D corrections is also addressed.