Rigorous Dense Graph Limit of a Model for Biological Transportation Networks

Abstract. We rigorously derive the dense graph limit of a discrete model describing the formation of biological transportation networks. The discrete model, defined on undirected graphs with pressure-driven flows, incorporates a convex energy functional combining pumping and metabolic costs. It is constrained by a Kirchhoff law reflecting the local mass conservation. We first rescale and reformulate the discrete energy functional as an integral “semidiscrete” functional, where the Kirchhoff law transforms into a nonlocal elliptic integral equation. Assuming that the sequence of graphs is uniformly connected and that the limiting graphon is 0–1 valued, we prove two results: (1) rigorous [Formula: see text]-convergence of the sequence of the semidiscrete functionals to a continuum limit as the number of graph nodes and edges tends to infinity; (2) convergence of global minimizers of the discrete functionals to a global minimizer of the limiting continuum functional. Our results provide a rigorous mathematical foundation for the continuum description of biological transport structures emerging from discrete networks.