Let G be a simple connected graph of order n ≥ 6. The third edge-connectivity of G is defined as the minimum cardinality over all the sets of edges, if any, whose deletion disconnects G and every component of the resulting graph has at least 3 vertices. In this paper, we first characterize those graphs whose third-edge connectivity is well defined,then establish the tight upper bound for the third edge-connectivity.
The third edge-connectivity λ3(G) of a graph G is defined as the minimum cardinality over all sets of edges, if any, whose deletion disconnects G and each component of the resulting graph has at least 3 vertices. An upper bound has been established for λ3(G) whenever λ3(G) is well-defined. This paper first introduces two combinatorial optimization concepts, that is, maximality and superiority, of λ3(G), and then proves the Ore type sufficient conditions for G to be maximally and super third edge-connected. These concepts and results are useful in network reliability analysis.
