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Assortativity decreases the robustness of interdependent networks
Di Zhou1, H Eugene Stanley, Gregorio D'Agostino
1Center for Polymer Studies and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|February 2, 2013
Summary
Interdependent network failures can cause system-wide disasters. Network assortativity, connecting similar nodes, decreases system robustness, highlighting critical infrastructure protection needs.
Area of Science:
- Network science
- Systems engineering
- Infrastructure resilience
Background:
- Interdependencies between networks can lead to cascading failures and system-wide disasters.
- Existing models show interdependent networks can undergo abrupt percolation transitions as failures accumulate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of network topology on failure propagation in interdependent systems.
- To determine how internal node correlations, specifically assortativity, affect system robustness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a model system of two interdependent networks.
- Analyzed the effects of varying internal node correlations (assortativity) on failure propagation.
- Identified the critical density of failures triggering system-wide disruption.
Main Results:
- Internal node correlations significantly alter the critical failure density required for total system disruption.
- Increased assortativity within individual networks was found to decrease the overall robustness of the interdependent system.
- Assortativity influences the propagation of failures across interdependent network structures.
Conclusions:
- Network topology, particularly assortativity, plays a critical role in the resilience of interdependent systems.
- Understanding assortativity's impact can inform strategies for enhancing network robustness.
- Findings offer insights for improving the protection of critical infrastructures against cascading failures.
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