Identifying critical edges in complex networks

The critical edges in complex networks are extraordinary edges which play more significant role than other edges on the structure and function of networks. The research on identifying critical edges in complex networks has attracted much attention because of its theoretical significance as well as wide range of applications. Considering the topological structure of networks and the ability to disseminate information, an edge ranking algorithm BCC_MOD based on cliques and paths in networks is proposed in this report. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated by SIR model, susceptibility index S and the size of giant component σ and compared with well-known existing metrics such as Jaccard coefficient, Bridgeness index, Betweenness centrality and Reachability index in nine real networks. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms these well-known methods in identifying critical edges both in network connectivity and spreading dynamic.