Congestion induced by the structure of multiplex networks

TL;DR

This paper analytically demonstrates that the interconnected structure of multiplex networks can induce congestion in transportation flows, even when individual layers would not congest independently, revealing a cooperative paradox similar to Braess' paradox.

Contribution

It provides explicit equations and approximations for the onset of congestion in multiplex networks, highlighting how their structure can unexpectedly cause congestion.

Findings

Multiplex network structure can induce congestion in otherwise decongested layers.

Explicit equations for congestion onset in multiplex networks.

The phenomenon is analogous to Braess' paradox in traffic networks.

Abstract

Multiplex networks are representations of multilayer interconnected complex networks where the nodes are the same at every layer. They turn out to be good abstractions of the intricate connectivity of multimodal transportation networks, among other types of complex systems. One of the most important critical phenomena arising in such networks is the emergence of congestion in transportation flows. Here we prove analytically that the structure of multiplex networks can induce congestion for flows that otherwise will be decongested if the individual layers were not interconnected. We provide explicit equations for the onset of congestion and approximations that allow to compute this onset from individual descriptors of the individual layers. The observed cooperative phenomenon reminds the Braess' paradox in which adding extra capacity to a network when the moving entities selfishly choose their route can in some cases reduce overall performance. Similarly, in the multiplex structure, the efficiency in transportation can unbalance the transportation loads resulting in unexpected congestion.