Conditions for the parameters of the block graph of quasi-symmetric designs (Q2256133)

Summary: A quasi-symmetric design (QSD) is a \(2\mathrm{-}(v,k,\lambda)\) design with intersection numbers \(x\) and \(y\) with \(x< y\). The block graph of such a design is formed on its blocks with two distinct blocks being adjacent if they intersect in \(y\) points. It is well known that the block graph of a QSD is a strongly regular graph (SRG) with parameters \((b,a,c,d)\) with smallest eigenvalue \( -m =-\frac{k-x}{y-x}\). { }The classification result of SRGs with smallest eigenvalue \(-m\), is used to prove that for a fixed pair \((\lambda\geq 2,m\geq 2)\), there are only finitely many QSDs. This gives partial support towards Marshall Hall Jr.'s conjecture, that for a fixed \(\lambda\geq 2\), there exist finitely many symmetric \((v, k, \lambda)\)-designs.{ }We classify QSDs with \(m=2\) and characterize QSDs whose block graph is the complete multipartite graph with \(s\) classes of size \(3\).~We rule out the possibility of a QSD whose block graph is the Latin square graph \(LS_m (n)\) or complement of \(LS_m (n)\), for \(m=3,4\). { }SRGs with no triangles have long been studied and are of current research interest. The characterization of QSDs with triangle-free block graph for \(x=1\) and \(y=x+1\) is obtained and the non-existence of such designs with \(x=0\) or \(\lambda > 2(x+2)\) or if it is a 3-design is proven. The computer algebra system Mathematica is used to find parameters of QSDs with triangle-free block graph for \(2\leq m \leq 100\). We also give the parameters of QSDs whose block graph parameters are \((b,a,c,d)\) listed in Brouwer's table of SRGs.