Asymptotic rank of spaces with bicombings (Q343621)

In this paper, the author answers to the question: ``Under what geometric assumptions on a space \(X\), the existence of an \(n\)-quasiflat in \(X\) implies the existence of an \(n\)-flat therein?''. An \(n\)-flat (resp. \(n\)-quasiflat) is an isometrically (resp. quasi-isometrically) embedded \(n\)-dimensional normed space. The affirmative answer for Busemann spaces given by \textit{B. Kleiner} [Math. Z. 231, No. 3, 409--456 (1999; Zbl 0940.53024)] and for manifolds of non-positive curvature studied by \textit{M. T. Anderson} and \textit{V. Schroeder} [Invent. Math. 85, 303--315 (1986; Zbl 0615.53030)] is now generalized to spaces with bicombings. For the proof of the main results Theorem 1.1 and Theorem 3.4, the author uses, beside a metric differentiation argument, an elegant barycentric construction for defining a Riemannian integral. The author presents the barycenter map and \textit{A. Es-Sahib} and \textit{H. Heinich}'s barycentric construction for Busemann spaces [Lect. Notes Math. 1709, 355--370 (1999; Zbl 0952.60010)] (with partly improved results due to \textit{A. Navas} [Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 33, No. 2, 609--623 (2013; Zbl 1277.37014)]). The construction and proofs are done for spaces with reversible bicombings.