Freeness conditions for crossed squares and squared complexes (Q1595467)

In 1993, \textit{T. Porter} [Topology 32, No. 1, 5-24 (1993; Zbl 0776.55012)] gave a functor from the category of simplicial groups to that of crossed \(n\)-cubes of groups, and \textit{G. Ellis} [Math. Z. 214, No. 1, 93-110 (1993; Zbl 0789.55008)] introduced a notion of free crossed square. The paper shows how to interpret the information in a free simplicial group given with a choice of CW-basis, in terms of the data for a totally free crossed square and construct a functor from simplicial groups to squared complexes such that preserves the freeness. As application, the authors give a purely algebraic derivation of results of \textit{R. Brown} and \textit{J.-L. Loday} [Topology 26, 311-335 (1987; Zbl 0622.55009)] describing the homotopy \(3\)-type of the suspension of an Eilenberg-MacLane space.