We present a metric condition $\TTMetric$ which describes the geometry of classical small cancellation groups and applies also to other known classes of groups such as two-dimensional Artin groups. We prove that presentations satisfying condition $\TTMetric$ are diagrammatically reducible in the sense of Sieradski and Gersten. In particular, we deduce that the standard presentation of an Artin group is aspherical if and only if it is diagrammatically reducible. We show that, under some extra hypotheses, $\TTMetric$-groups have quadratic Dehn functions and solvable conjugacy problem. In the spirit of Greendlinger's lemma, we prove that if a presentation P = 〈X| R〉 of group G satisfies conditions $\TTMetric -C'(\frac {1}{2})$, the length of any nontrivial word in the free group generated by X representing the trivial element in G is at least that of the shortest relator. We also introduce a strict metric condition $\TTMetricStrict$, which implies hyperbolicity.

We study the geometry of infinitely presented groups satisfying the small cancellation condition $C^{\prime }(1/8)$, and introduce a standard decomposition (called the criss-cross decomposition) for the elements of such groups. Our method yields a direct construction of a linearly independent set of power continuum in the kernel of the comparison map between the bounded and the usual group cohomology in degree 2, without the use of free subgroups and extensions.

This paper provides a strengthening of the theorems of small cancellation theory. It is proven that disc diagrams contain 'fans' of consecutive 2-cells along their boundaries. The size of these fans is linked to the strength of the small cancellation conditions satisfied by the diagram. A classification result is proven for disc diagrams satisfying small cancellation conditions. Any disc diagram either contains three fans along its boundary, or it is a ladder, or it is a wheel. Similar statements are proven for annular diagrams.

2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: 20F06.