  Large cascades are a common occurrence in many natural and engineered complex
systems. In this paper we explore the propagation of cascades across networks
using realistic network topologies, such as heterogeneous degree distributions,
as well as intra- and interlayer degree correlations. We find that three
properties, scale-free degree distribution, internal network assortativity, and
cross-network hub-to-hub connections, are all necessary components to
significantly reduce the size of large cascades in the Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld
sandpile model. We demonstrate that correlations present in the structure of
the multilayer network influence the dynamical cascading process and can
prevent failures from spreading across connected layers. These findings
highlight the importance of internal and cross-network topology in optimizing
stability and robustness of interconnected systems.
