Analysing weighted networks: An approach via maximum flows

Abstract

We present an approach for analysing weighted networks based on maximum flows between nodes and generalize to weighted networks 'global' measures that are well-established for binary networks, such as pathlengths, component size or betweenness centrality. This leads to a generalization of the algorithm of Girvan and Newman for community identification. The application of the weighted network measures to two real-world example networks, the international trade network and the passenger flow network between EU member countries, demonstrates that further insights about the systems' architectures can be gained this way. © 2009 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.