Generalized Poincaré algebras and Lovelock–Cartan gravity theory

We show that the Lagrangian for Lovelock–Cartan gravity theory can be reformulated as an action which leads to General Relativity in a certain limit. In odd dimensions the Lagrangian leads to a Chern–Simons theory invariant under the generalized Poincaré algebra B2n+1B2n+1, while in even dimensions the Lagrangian leads to a Born–Infeld theory invariant under a subalgebra of the B2n+1B2n+1 algebra. It is also shown that torsion may occur explicitly in the Lagrangian leading to new torsional Lagrangians, which are related to the Chern–Pontryagin character for the B2n+1B2n+1 group.