Study on indices of network structure robustness and their application

Connectivity robustness and recovery robustness are proposed to measure the degree of tolerance against failure and attacks in networks. Simulations are carried out in four types of classic networks (i.e., ER random network, regular network, BA scale-free network, and WS small world network) with 500 nodes. Results obtained from an average of 20 tests on ER random network, regular network, BA scale-free network, and WS small-world network show that, ER random networks and regular networks are more robust than BA scale free networks when involving in hostile attacks, and that WS small-world network are more robust than BA scale-free networks but less robust than random networks and regular networks. It is also found that an emergent decline of structural robustness appears with removing more nodes and changing network structure parameters.