A topological analysis of Milan historical surface transport networks from 1856 to the present

Abstract

This research examines the transport networks operating in Milan, Italy, in seven years, from 1856 to 2016. The networks are transformed into graphs and analysed with several techniques from graph theory, including a new centrality index called Icentr. With the help of this index, we identify the nodes, to be considered primary in the transportation network, that are better related both in terms of topology and more interconnected in terms of distance. The findings provide a detailed picture of how the primary nodes have shifted from the city’s inner core to outer areas over the course of the investigated decades, both for the topological case and when the graphs are weighted based on the distance between nodes. Particularly, the effect of distance is more evident in those historical phases when the city expands, creating longer connections between nodes, in contrast to phases when the city becomes denser. The proposed method of analysis appears suitable to be applied to other cities, both for simplicity and effectiveness.

Keywords

• Urban environment
• Transportation graph
• Topological analysis
• Centrality indices
• Historical maps
• Surface transportation