Splittings of generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups

We study the structure of generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups from the point of view of their (usually non-unique) splittings as fundamental groups of graphs of infinite cyclic groups. We find and characterize certain decompositions of smallest complexity (`fully reduced' decompositions) and give a simplified proof of the existence of deformations. We also prove a finiteness theorem and solve the isomorphism problem for generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups with no non-trivial integral moduli.Comment: 20 pages; hyperlinked latex. Version 2: minor change

An analogue of the torus decomposition theorem for certain Poincaré duality groups

It is shown that Poincaré duality groups which satisfy the maximal condition on centralisers have a canonical decomposition as the fundamental group of a finite graph of groups in which the edge groups are polycyclic-by-finite. The results give useful information only when there are large polycyclic subgroups. Since 3-manifolds groups satisfy Max-c, the results provide a purely group theoretic proof of the Torus Decomposition Theorem. In general, fundamental groups of closed aspherical manifolds satisfy Poincaré duality and in fact many of the known examples satisfy Max-c. Thus the results provide a new approach to aspherical manifolds of higher dimensions