Shortest paths along urban road network peripheries

Rene C. Batac and Michelle T. Cirunay

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2022, vol. 597, issue C

Abstract: Studies on road networks, especially on highly-urban areas, have to account not only for the topological (i.e. network structure) but, more so, for the actual physical and geographical constraints that affect the efficiency of transport within the system. Here, we investigate the set of shortest paths across low-betweenness centrality nodes, which are found at the periphery of the network. Travel from one peripheral node to another is characterized by highly sinuous paths, which is expected due to the fact that these nodes represent the most highly inaccessible points in the network. Interestingly, short is not simple, i.e. the shorter paths are more likely to have a broad range of sinuosity values, while longer paths are generally more straight. We propose a categorization of the inaccessibility of peripheral nodes based on topological (network centrality) and spatial (physical dimensions) properties, to determine the most highly-inaccessible locations of the network. Unlike other networked architectures where the nodes and edges can be easily replaced or removed, it is impractical, if not impossible, to flatten down cities to give way for new roads. Studies such as this one can give useful insights for management and improvement of city transportation networks given the current conditions.

Keywords: Networks and genealogical trees; Land transportation; Complex networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:597:y:2022:i:c:s0378437122002266

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2022.127255

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