The Existence of BIB Designs

Abstract Given any positive integers k≥ 3 and λ, let c(k, λ) denote the smallest integer such that v∈B(k, λ) for every integer v≥c(k, λ) that satisfies the congruences λv(v− 1) ≡ 0(mod k(k− 1)) and λ(v− 1) ≡ 0(mod k− 1). In this article we make an improvement on the bound of c(k, λ) provided by Chang in [4] and prove that . In particular, . Supported by NSFC Grant No. 19701002 and Huo Yingdong Foundation     

Trading Signed Designs and Some New 4-(12, 5, 4) Designs

Variations of the trade-off method exist in the literature of design theory and have been utilized by some authors to produce some t-designs with or without repeated blocks. In this paper we explore a new version of this algorithmic method (i) to produce 20 nonisomorphic and rigid 4-(12,5,4) designs, (ii) to study the spectrum of support sizes of 4-(12,5,4) designs. Along these, we also present a new design invariant for testing isomorphism among designs and a new way of representing t-designs.     

The Existence of (ν,6, λ)-Perfect Mendelsohn Designs with λ > 1

The basic necessary conditions for the existence of a (v, k, λ)-perfect Mendelsohn design (briefly (v, k, λ)-PMD) are v ≥ k and λ v(v − 1) ≡ 0 (mod k). These conditions are known to be sufficient in most cases, but certainly not in all. For k = 3, 4, 5, 7, very extensive investigations of (v, k, λ)-PMDs have resulted in some fairly conclusive results. However, for k = 6 the results have been far from conclusive, especially for the case of λ = 1, which was given some attention in papers by Miao and Zhu [34], and subsequently by Abel et al. [1]. Here we investigate the situation for k = 6 and λ > 1. We find that the necessary conditions, namely v ≥ 6 and λ v(v − 1)≡0 (mod 6) are sufficient except for the known impossible cases v = 6 and either λ = 2 or λ odd. Researcher F.E. Bennett supported by NSERC Grant OGP 0005320.     

The Existence of a Bush-Type Hadamard Matrix of Order 324 and Two New Infinite Classes of Symmetric Designs

A symmetric 2-(324, 153, 72) design is constructed that admits a tactical decomposition into 18 point and block classes of size 18 such that every point is in either 0 or 9 blocks from a given block class, and every block contains either 0 or 9 points from a given point class. This design is self-dual and yields a symmetric Hadamard matrix of order 324 of Bush type, being the first known example of a symmetric Bush-type Hadamard matrix of order 4n ² for n > 1 odd. Equivalently, the design yields a strongly regular graph with parameters v=324, k=153, ==72 that admits a spread of cocliques of size 18. The Bush-type Hadamard matrix of order 324 leads to two new infinite classes of symmetric designs with parameters

以PSL(2,q)作为本原自同构群的旗传递对称$(v,k,\lambda)$设计的分类

设$D$是一个非平凡的对称$(v,k,\lambda)$设计, $G$是$D$的一个自同构群.本文证明了如果$G$以二维典型群PSL$(2,q)$作为基柱且在$D$上的作用是旗传递和点本原的,那么设计$D$的参数只能为$(7, 3, 1)$, $(7, 4, 2)$, $(11, 5, 2)$, $(11, 6, 3)$或$(15, 8, 4)$.     

Stochastic Comparisons of Symmetric Sampling Designs

We compare estimators of the integral of a monotone function f that can be observed only at a sample of points in its domain, possibly with error. Most of the standard literature considers sampling designs ordered by refinements and compares them in terms of mean square error or, as in Goldstein et al. (2011), the stronger convex order. In this paper we compare sampling designs in the convex order without using partition refinements. Instead we order two sampling designs based on partitions of the sample space, where a fixed number of points is allocated at random to each partition element. We show that if the two random vectors whose components correspond to the number allocated to each partition element are ordered by stochastic majorization, then the corresponding estimators are likewise convexly ordered. If the function f is not monotone, then we show that the convex order comparison does not hold in general, but a weaker variance comparison does.     

The Asymptotic Existence of Resolvable Group Divisible Designs

A group divisible design (GDD) is a triple which satisfies the following properties: (1) is a partition of X into subsets called groups; (2) is a collection of subsets of X, called blocks, such that a group and a block contain at most one element in common; and (3) every pair of elements from distinct groups occurs in a constant number λ blocks. This parameter λ is usually called the index. A k‐GDD of type is a GDD with block size k, index , and u groups of size g. A GDD is resolvable if the blocks can be partitioned into classes such that each point occurs in precisely one block of each class. We denote such a design as an RGDD. For fixed integers and , we show that the necessary conditions for the existence of a k‐RGDD of type are sufficient for all . As a corollary of this result and the existence of large resolvable graph decompositions, we establish the asymptotic existence of resolvable graph GDDs, G‐RGDDs, whenever the necessary conditions for the existence of ‐RGDs are met. We also show that, with a few easy modifications, the techniques extend to general index. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Combin. Designs 21: 112–126, 2013     

Partitioning Quadrics, Symmetric Group Divisible Designs and Caps

Using partitionings of quadrics we give a geometric construction of certain symmetric group divisible designs. It is shown that some of them at least are self-dual. The designs that we construct here relate to interesting work — some of it very recent — by D. Jungnickel and by E. Moorhouse. In this paper we also give a short proof of an old result of G. Pellegrino concerning the maximum size of a cap in AG(4,3) and its structure. Semi-biplanes make their appearance as part of our construction in the three dimensional case.     

The Existence of Partitioned Generalized Balanced Tournament Designs with Block Size 3

A generalized balanced tournament design, GBTD(n, k), defined on a kn-set V, is an arrangement of the blocks of a (kn, k, k – 1)-BIBD defined on V into an n × (kn – 1) array such that (1) every element of V is contained in precisely one cell of each column, and (2) every element of V is contained in at most k cells of each row. Suppose we can partition the columns of a GBTD(n, k) into k + 1 sets B1, B2,..., Bk + 1 where |Bi| = n for i = 1, 2,..., k – 2, |Bi| = n–1 for i = k – 1, k and |Bk+1| = 1 such that (1) every element of V occurs precisely once in each row and column of Bi for i = 1, 2,..., k – 2, and (2) every element of V occurs precisely once in each row and column of Bi Bk+1 for i = k – 1 and i = k. Then the GBTD(n, k) is called partitioned and we denote the design by PGBTD(n, k). The spectrum of GBTD(n, 3) has been completely determined. In this paper, we determine the spectrum of PGBTD(n,3) with, at present, a fairly small number of exceptions for n. This result is then used to establish the existence of a class of Kirkman squares in diagonal form.     

Designs and Representation of the Symmetric Group

We study (generalized) designs supported by words of given composition. We characterize them in terms of orthogonality relations with Specht modules; we define some zonal functions for the symmetric group and we give a closed formula for them, indexed on ordered pair of semi-standard generalized tableaux: Hahn polynomials are a particular case. We derive an algorithm to test if a set is a design. We use it to search designs in some ternary self-dual codes.     

（v,6,3）—PMDs的存在性

一个参数为（ν，ｋ，λ）的完全的门德尔逊设计简记为（ν，ｋ，λ）－ＰＭＤ。对于ｋ＝３，４，５及７这类设计的存在性问题已被不少作者研究。文［８］对最近的结果和方法作了评述。但对于（ν，６，λ）－ＰＭＤｓ的存在性问题尚待人们去解决。一个（ν，６，λ）－ＰＭＤ存在的必要条件是：（１）ν≡０，１（ｍｏｄ３），当λ     

Automorphisms and Isomorphisms of Symmetric and Affine Designs

Given a finite group G, for all sufficiently large d and for each q > 3 there are symmetric designs and affine designs having the same parameters as PG(d, q) and AG(d, q), respectively, and having full automorphism group isomorphic to G.     

Non Existence of Triangle Free Quasi-symmetric Designs

The following two results are proved. Let D be a triangle free quasi-symmetric design with k=2y−x and x≥ 1 then D is a trivial design with v=5 and k=3. There do no exist triangle free quasi-symmetric designs with x≥ 1 and λ=y or λ=y−1.Communicated by: P. Wild     

Super-simple (ν, 5, 5) Designs

Super-simple designs are useful in constructing codes and designs such as superimposed codes and perfect hash families. In this article, we investigate the existence of a super-simple (ν, 5, 5) balanced incomplete block design and show that such a design exists if and only if ν ≡ 1 (mod 4) and ν ≥ 17 except possibly when ν = 21. Applications of the results to optical orthogonal codes are also mentioned. Research supported by NSERC grant 239135-01.     

The Existence and Construction of (K5∖e)‐Designs of Orders 27, 135, 162, and 216

The problem of the existence of a decomposition of the complete graph into disjoint copies of has been solved for all admissible orders n, except for 27, 36, 54, 64, 72, 81, 90, 135, 144, 162, 216, and 234. In this paper, I eliminate 4 of these 12 unresolved orders. Let Γ be a ‐design. I show that divides 2^k3 for some and that . I construct ‐designs by prescribing as an automorphism group, and show that up to isomorphism there are exactly 24 ‐designs with as an automorphism group. Moreover, I show that the full automorphism group of each of these designs is indeed . Finally, the existence of ‐designs of orders 135, 162, and 216 follows immediately by the recursive constructions given by G. Ge and A. C. H. Ling, SIAM J Discrete Math 21(4) (2007), 851–864.     

Difference Sets Corresponding to a Class of Symmetric Designs

We study difference sets with parameters(v, k, ) = (p ^s(r ^2m - 1)/(r - 1), p ^s-1 r ^2m-2 r - 1)r ^{2m -2}, where r = r ^s - 1)/(p - 1) and p is a prime. Examples for such difference sets are known from a construction of McFarland which works for m = 1 and all p,s. We will prove a structural theorem on difference sets with the above parameters; it will include the result, that under the self-conjugacy assumption McFarland's construction yields all difference sets in the underlying groups. We also show that no abelian .160; 54; 18/-difference set exists. Finally, we give a new nonexistence prove of (189, 48, 12)-difference sets in Z ₃ × Z ₉ × Z ₇.     

Regular Hadamard Matrices Generating Infinite Families of Symmetric Designs

If H is a regular Hadamard matrix with row sum 2h, m is a positive integer, and q = (2h ? 1)², then (4h ²(q ^{m + 1} ? 1)/(q ?1),(2h ² ? h)q ^m ,(h ²-h)q ^m ) are feasible parameters of a symmetric designs. If q is a prime power, then a balanced generalized weighing matrix BGW((q ^{m +1} ? 1)/(q?1),q ^m ,q ^m ?q ^{m ?1}) can be applied to construct such a design if H satisfies certain structural conditions. We describe such conditions and show that if H satisfies these conditions and B is a regular Hadamard matrix of Bush type, then B×H satisfies these structural conditions. This allows us to construct parametrically new infinite families of symmetric designs.     

Flag-Transitive Point-Primitive(v,k, 4)-Symmetric Designs with PSL_n(q) as Socle

Let D be a nontrivial symmetric(v, k, 4) design, and G ≤ Aut(D) be flag-transitive and point-primitive with PSL_n(q) as socle. Then D is a 2-(15, 8, 4) symmetric design and Soc(G) = PSL_2(9).