Combinatorial design theory is a vibrant area of combinatorics, connecting graph theory, number theory, geometry, and algebra with applications in experimental design, coding theory, and numerous applications in computer science.This volume is a collection of forty-one state-of-the-art research articles spanning all of combinatorial design theory. The articles develop new methods for the construction and analysis of designs and related combinatorial configurations; both new theoretical methods, and new computational tools and results, are presented. In particular, they extend the current state of knowledge on Steiner systems, Latin squares, one-factorizations, block designs, graph designs, packings and coverings, and develop recursive and direct constructions.The contributions form an overview of the current diversity of themes in design theory for those peripherally interested, while researchers in the field will find it to be a major collection of research advances. The volume is dedicated to Alex Rosa, who has played a major role in fostering and developing combinatorial design theory.

The scope of the volume includes all algorithmic and computational aspects of research on combinatorial designs. Algorithmic aspects include generation, isomorphism and analysis techniques - both heuristic methods used in practice, and the computational complexity of these operations. The scope within design theory includes all aspects of block designs, Latin squares and their variants, pairwise balanced designs and projective planes and related geometries.

Created to teach students many of the most important techniques used for constructing combinatorial designs, this is an ideal textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in combinatorial design theory. The text features clear explanations of basic designs, such as Steiner and Kirkman triple systems, mutual orthogonal Latin squares, finite projective and affine planes, and Steiner quadruple systems. In these settings, the student will master various construction techniques, both classic and modern, and will be well-prepared to construct a vast array of combinatorial designs. Design theory offers a progressive approach to the subject, with carefully ordered results. It begins with simple constructions that gradually increase in complexity. Each design has a construction that contains new ideas or that reinforces and builds upon similar ideas previously introduced. A new text/reference covering all apsects of modern combinatorial design theory. Graduates and professionals in computer science, applied mathematics, combinatorics, and applied statistics will find the book an essential resource.

Continuing in the bestselling, informative tradition of the first edition, the Handbook of Combinatorial Designs, Second Edition remains the only resource to contain all of the most important results and tables in the field of combinatorial design. This handbook covers the constructions, properties, and applications of designs as well as existence

Foremost experts in their field have contributed articles resulting in a compilation of useful and timely surveys in this ever-expanding field. Each of these 12 original papers covers important aspects of design theory including several in areas that have not previously been surveyed. Also contains surveys updating earlier ones where research is particularly active.

Researchers and practitioners of cryptography and information security are constantly challenged to respond to new attacks and threats to information systems. Authentication Codes and Combinatorial Designs presents new findings and original work on perfect authentication codes characterized in terms of combinatorial designs, namely strong partially

Over the last several years, there has been a significant increase in compu tational combinatorics. The most widely reported results were, of course, the proof of the Four Color Theorem and the proof that there is no projective plane of parameter 10. Although the computer was essential in both proofs, the only reason for this was the fact that life is short. The computations involved were not different in kind from those which have been done by human brains without electronic assistance; they were just longer. Another important fact to notice is that both problems were theoretical, pure mathematical ones. The pursuit of the Four-Color Theorem has led to the development of whole branches of graph theory. The plane of parameter 10 is not an isolated case; its nonexistence is the first (and so far, the only) coun terexample to the conjecture that the Bruck-Chowla-Ryser conditions were necessary and sufficient for the existence of a symmetric balanced incomplete block design; the study of this problem has also led to a number of theoretical advances, including investigation of the relationship between codes and designs.

Combinatorial Designs for Authentication and Secrecy Codes is a succinct in-depth review and tutorial of a subject that promises to lead to major advances in computer and communication security. This monograph provides a tutorial on combinatorial designs, which gives an overview of the theory. Furthermore, the application of combinatorial designs to authentication and secrecy codes is described in depth. This close relationship of designs with cryptography and information security was first revealed in Shannon's seminal paper on secrecy systems. We bring together in one source foundational and current contributions concerning design-theoretic constructions and characterizations of authentication and secrecy codes.

From experimental design to cryptography, this comprehensive, easy-to-access reference contains literally all the facts you need on combinatorial designs. It includes constructions of designs, existence results, and properties of designs. Organized into six main parts, the CRC Handbook of Combinatorial Designs covers:

Combinatorial Mathematics, Optimal Designs, and Their Applications