Group divisible designs with block size four and two groups

We give some constructions of new infinite families of group divisible designs, GDD(n,2,4;λ₁,λ₂), including one which uses the existence of Bhaskar Rao designs. We show the necessary conditions are sufficient for 3?n?8. For n=10 there is one missing critical design. If λ₁>λ₂, then the necessary conditions are sufficient for . For each of n=10,15,16,17,18,19, and 20 we indicate a small minimal set of critical designs which, if they exist, would allow construction of all possible designs for that n. The indices of each of these designs are also among those critical indices for every n in the same congruence class mod 12.     

Balanced incomplete block designs with block size 8

The necessary conditions for the existence of a balanced incomplete block design on υ ≥ k points, with index λ and block size k, are that: For k = 8, these conditions are known to be sufficient when λ = 1, with 38 possible exceptions, the largest of which is υ = 3,753. For these 38 values of υ, we show (υ, 8, λ ) BIBDs exist whenever λ > 1 for all but five possible values of υ, the largest of which is υ = 1,177, and these five υ's are the only values for which more than one value of λ is open. For λ>1, we show the necessary conditions are sufficient with the definite exception of two further values of υ, and the possible exception of 7 further values of υ, the largest of which is υ=589. In particular, we show the necessary conditions are sufficient for all λ> 5 and for λ = 4 when υ ≠ 22. We also look at (8, λ) GDDs of type 7^m. Our grouplet divisible design construction is also refined, and we construct and exploit α ‐ frames in constructing several other BIBDs. In addition, we give a PBD basis result for {n: n ≡ 0, 1; mod 8, n ≥ 8}, and construct a few new TDs with index > 1. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 9: 233–268, 2001     

Embeddings of resolvable group divisible designs with block size 3

It is proved in this paper that an RGD(3, g;v) can be embedded in an RGD(3, g;u) if and only if , , , v ≥ 3g, u ≥ 3v, and (g,v) ≠ (2,6),(2,12),(6,18).     

Resolvable balanced incomplete block designs with subdesigns of block size 4

In this paper, we look at resolvable balanced incomplete block designs on v points having blocks of size 4, briefly (v,4,1) RBIBDs. The problem we investigate is the existence of (v,4,1) RBIBDs containing a (w,4,1) RBIBD as a subdesign. We also require that each parallel class of the subdesign should be in a single parallel class of the containing design. Removing the subdesign gives an incomplete RBIBD, i.e., an IRB(v,w). The necessary conditions for the existence of an IRB(v,w) are that v?4w and . We show these conditions are sufficient with a finite number (179) of exceptions, and in particular whenever and whenever w?1852.We also give some results on pairwise balanced designs on v points containing (at least one) block of size w, i.e., a (v,{K,w^*},1)-PBD.If the list of permitted block sizes, K₅, contains all integers of size 5 or more, and v,w∈K₅, then a necessary condition on this PBD is v?4w+1. We show this condition is not sufficient for any w?5 and give the complete spectrum (in v) for 5?w?8, as well as showing the condition v?5w is sufficient with some definite exceptions for w=5 and 6, and some possible exceptions when w=15, namely 77?v?79. The existence of this PBD implies the existence of an IRB(12v+4,12w+4).If the list of permitted block sizes, K₁₍₄₎, contains all integers , and v,w∈K₁₍₄₎, then a necessary condition on this PBD is v?4w+1. We show this condition is sufficient with a finite number of possible exceptions, and in particular is sufficient when w?1037. The existence of this PBD implies the existence of an IRB(3v+1,3w+1).     

Quintessential PBDs and PBDs with prime power block sizes ≥ 8

In this paper, we look at the existence of (v K) pairwise balanced designs (PBDs) for a few sets K of prime powers ≥ 8 and also for a number of subsets K of {5, 6, 7, 8, 9}, which contain {5}. For K = {5, 7}, {5, 8}, {5, 7, 9}, we reduce the largest v for which a (v, K)‐PBD is unknown to 639, 812, and 179, respectively. When K is Q_≥8, the set of all prime powers ≥ 8, we find several new designs for 1,180 ≤ v ≤ 1,270, and reduce the largest unsolved case to 1,802. For K =Q_0,1,5(8), the set of prime powers ≥ 8 and ≡ 0, 1, or 5 (mod 8) we reduce the largest unknown case from 8,108 to 2,612. We also obtain slight improvements when K is one of {8, 9} or Q_0,1(8), the set of prime powers ≡ 0 or 1 (mod 8). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Incomplete group divisible designs with block size four

The object of this paper is the construction of incomplete group divisible designs (IGDDs) with block size four, group‐type (g, h)^u and index unity. It is shown that the necessary conditions for the existence of such an IGDD are also sufficient with three exceptions and six possible exceptions. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 442–455, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10055     

Some new group divisible designs with block size 4 and two or three group sizes

Group divisible designs (GDDs) with block size 4 and at most 30 points are known for all feasible group types except three, namely $2^3{5}^4,3^5{6}^2$, and $2^2{5}^5$. In this paper we provide solutions for the first two of these three 4‐GDDs without assuming any automorphisms. We also construct several other 4‐GDDs. These include classes of 4‐GDDs of types ${\left(3m\right)}^4{\left(6m\right)}^q{\left(3n\right)}^1$ for $0\le n\le \left(q+1\right)m$ where $q\in \left\{2,3\right\}$ and solutions for 4‐GDDs of types $3^t{6}^s$ for a wide range of values of $s\ge 2,t\ge 4$ satisfying $t\equiv 0$ or $1\left(\mathrm{mod}4\right)$, including all cases with $4\le t\le s?1$. Most of the remaining unknown 4‐GDDs of type $3^t{6}^s$ have $\left(s?1\right)<t<2\left(s?1\right)$.     

Group divisible designs with block size 4 and type

Building upon the work of Wei and Ge (Designs, Codes, and Cryptography 74, 2015), we extend the range of positive integer parameters g, u, and m for which group divisible designs with block size 4 and type are known to exist. In particular, we show that the necessary conditions for the existence of these designs when and are sufficient in the following cases: , with one exception, 2⁶5¹, , and .     

On covering designs with block size 5 and index 5

LetV be a finite set of order . A (, , ) covering design of index and block size is a collection of -element subsets, called blocks, such that every 2-subset ofV occurs in at least blocks. The covering problem is to determine the minimum number of blocks, (, , ), in a covering design. It is well known that , where [x] is the smallest integer satisfyingx[X]. It is shown here that (, 5, 5)=(, 5, 5) for all positive integers 5 with the possible exception of =24, 28, 56, 104, 124, 144, 164, 184.     

Group divisible designs with block size four and type —II

We show that the necessary conditions for the existence of group divisible designs with block size four (4‐GDDs) of type are sufficient for (mod ), = 39, 51, 57, 69, 87, 93, 111, 123 and 129, and for = 13, 17, 19, 23, 25, 29, 31 and 35. More generally, we show that for (mod 6), the possible exceptions occur only when , and there are no exceptions at all if has a divisor such that (mod 4) or is a prime not greater than 43. Hence, there are no exceptions when (mod 12). Consequently, we are able to extend the known spectrum for and 5 (mod 6). Also, we complete the spectrum for 4‐GDDs of type .     

Group divisible designs with block size 4 where the group sizes are congruent to 2 mod 3

In this paper, we construct a number of 4-GDDs where the group sizes are all congruent to 2 (mod 3). We also show that 4-GDDs of type $2^t{8}^s$ exist for all but a finite number of feasible values of s and t. The largest unknown case has type $2^4{8}^{18}$ and has 152 points. A number of 4-GDDs with at most 50 points are also constructed. These include one of type $4^8{1}^1{10}^1$, the last feasible type of the form $4^s{1}^t{n}^1$ with at most 50 points for which no 4-GDD was known.     

Uniformly resolvable designs with index one and block sizes three and four — with three or five parallel classes of block size four

Each parallel class of a uniformly resolvable design (URD) contains blocks of only one block size. A URD with v points and with block sizes three and four means that at least one parallel class has block size three and at least one has block size four. Danziger [P. Danziger, Uniform restricted resolvable designs with r=3, ARS Combin. 46 (1997) 161-176] proved that for all there exist URDs with index one, some parallel classes of block size three, and exactly three parallel classes with block size four, except when v=12 and except possibly when . We extend Danziger’s work by showing that there exists a URD with index one, some parallel classes with block size three, and exactly three parallel classes with block size four if, and only if, , v≠12. We also prove that there exists a URD with index one, some parallel classes of block size three, and exactly five parallel classes with block size four if, and only if, , v≠12. New labeled URDs, which give new URDs as ingredient designs for recursive constructions, are the key in the proofs. Some ingredient URDs are also constructed with difference families.     

Group divisible designs with block size four and type gum1—III

We deal with group divisible designs (GDDs) that have block size four and group type $g^u{m}^1$, where $g\equiv 2$ or 4 (mod 6). We show that the necessary conditions for the existence of a 4‐GDD of type $g^u{m}^1$ are sufficient when $g$ = 14, 20, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 40, 44, 46, 50, 52, 58, 62, 68, 76, 88, 92, 100, 104, 116, 124, 136, 152, 160, 176, 184, 200, 208, 224, 232, 248, 272, 304, 320, 368, 400, 448, 464 and 496. Using these results we go on to show that the necessary conditions are sufficient for $g=2^t{q}^s$, $q$ = 19, 23, 25, 29, 31, $s$, $t=1,2,\dots$, as well as for $g=2^{t}q$, $q$ = 2, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, $t=1,2,\dots$, with possible exceptions $56^9{m}^1$, $80^9{m}^1$ and $112^9{m}^1$ for a few large values of $m$.     

Group divisible covering designs with block size four

Group divisible covering designs (GDCDs) were introduced by Heinrich and Yin as a natural generalization of both covering designs and group divisible designs. They have applications in software testing and universal data compression. The minimum number of blocks in a k‐GDCD of type $g^u$ is a covering number denoted by $C(k,g^u)$. When $k=3$, the values of $C(3,g^u)$ have been determined completely for all possible pairs $(g,u)$. When $k=4$, Francetić et al. constructed many families of optimal GDCDs, but the determination remained far from complete. In this paper, two specific 4‐IGDDs are constructed, thereby completing the existence problem for 4‐IGDDs of type ${(g,h)}^u$. Then, additional families of optimal 4‐GDCDs are constructed. Consequently the cases for $(g,u)$ whose status remains undetermined arise when $g\equiv 7mod12$ and $u\equiv 3mod6$, when $g\equiv 11,14,17,23mod24$ and $u\equiv 5mod6$, and in several small families for which one of g and u is fixed.     

Super-simple balanced incomplete block designs with block size 4 and index 5

In statistical planning of experiments, super-simple designs are the ones providing samples with maximum intersection as small as possible. Super-simple designs are also useful in other constructions, such as superimposed codes and perfect hash families etc. The existence of super-simple (v,4,λ)-BIBDs have been determined for λ=2,3,4 and 6. When λ=5, the necessary conditions of such a design are that and v≥13. In this paper, we show that there exists a super-simple (v,4,5)-BIBD for each and v≥13.