Hyperbolization of polyhedra

``Hyperbolization means a technique for associating to each simplicial complex K a metric space \(K_ h\) which is nonpositively curved (in the sense of Gromov) together with a map f: \(K_ h\to K\). Such techniques were first described by Gromov. There are hyperbolizations such that 1) the map f induces a surjection on homology, 2) the metric on \(K_ h\) is piecewise euclidean, and 3) \(K_ h\) and K have the same local structure. In particular, 3) means that if K is a PL manifold or a polyhedral homology manifold then so is \(K_ h\). By hyperbolizing the \(E_ 8\) homology 4-manifold and then replacing a neighborhood of the singular point by a contractible manifold, one obtains an aspherical 4-manifold which cannot be triangulated. The product of this example with the k- torus yields a closed aspherical n-manifold, \(n\geq 4\), which is not homotopy equivalent to a PL-manifold. Properties of the universal covers of nonpositively curved, piecewise euclidean or piecewise hyperbolic, polyhedral homology manifolds are investigated. If \(M^ n\) is such an object and, in addition, if it is a PL manifold, then its universal cover is homeomorphic to \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\). However, if \(M^ n\) is only required to be a homology manifold, then the above conclusion is false in general. Hyperbolization yields two interesting examples along these lines. The first example is, for each \(n\geq 5\), a nonpositively curved topological n-manifold, whose universal cover is not simply connected at infinity and hence, is not homeomorphic to \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\). Such an example cannot admit a smooth or PL metric of nonpositive curvature. The second example is a topological n-manifold, \(n\geq 5\), of strictly negative curvature which also fails to admit a strictly negatively curved smooth or PL metric, even though its universal cover is homeomorphic to \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\). The invariant in this case is the ideal boundary.

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