Cascading failures in networks of heterogeneous node behavior

Smith, Oliver; Crowe, J.; Farcot, E.; O'Dea, Reuben; Hopcraft, Keith

Abstract

Variability in the dynamical function of nodes comprising a complex network impacts upon cascading failures that can compromise the network's ability to operate. Node types correspond to sources, sinks or passive conduits of a current ow, applicable to renewable electrical power micro-grids containing a variable number of intermittently operating generators and consumers of power. The resilience to cascading failures of ensembles of synthetic networks with di_erent topology is examined as a function of the edge current carrying capacity and mix of node types, together with exemplar real-world networks. Whilst a network with homogeneous node type can be resilient to failure, one with identical topology but heterogeneous node function can be strongly susceptible to failure. For networks with similar numbers of sources, sinks and passive nodes the mean resilience decreases as networks become more disordered. Nevertheless all network topologies have enhanced regions of resilience, accessible by manipulation of node composition and functionality.

Citation

Smith, O., Crowe, J., Farcot, E., O'Dea, R., & Hopcraft, K. (2020). Cascading failures in networks of heterogeneous node behavior. Physical Review E, 101(2), Article 020301(R). https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.101.020301

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 11, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Feb 26, 2020
• Publication Date: Feb 26, 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 12, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 13, 2020
• Journal: Physical Review E
• Print ISSN: 2470-0045
• Electronic ISSN: 2470-0053
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 101
• Issue: 2
• Article Number: 020301(R)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.101.020301
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3946386
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/pre/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevE.101.020301