Blocking sets in 3-designs (Q914689)

The authors are concerned with so called t-designs \(S_{\lambda}(t,k,v)\) as a pair (S,\({\mathcal B})\), where S is a set with v-elements and \({\mathcal B}\) a set of k-subsets of S, such that each t-subset of S is contained in exactly \(\lambda\) blocks of \({\mathcal B}\). In a special case \(S_ 1(t,k,v)\) we have Steiner triple system and SQS(v) quadruple Steiner system. Following the results of Tallini, Bernardi and Beutelspacher, in this article the following theorem is proved: Theorem: Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an \(F_{\lambda}(3,4,v)\) with the blocking set are (1) \(v\equiv 0\) mod 8 and \(1\leq \lambda \leq w\), \(w=v/4\), (2) there exists an \(S_{\lambda}(3,4,2w)\) with a blocking set, which gives a characterization of the existence of blocking sets in factorized 3- desings. As examples there are obtained a construction of \(F_{\lambda}(3,4,16)\) with blocking sets, so called factorized 3-designs.