for ( uint32_t i = 0 ; i < 5 ; i++) {
        for ( uint32_t j = 0 ; j < 5 ; j++) {
            if ( i == j || j == i ) {
                NICM[i][j][2] = -1;
            }
            else {
                double linkProbability = 10.0;
                UniformVariable isLink_random(0,100);

                if ( isLink_random.GetValue() <= linkProbability) {
                    UniformVariable linkweight_random(0,101);
                    NICM[i][j][2] = linkweight_random.GetInteger(0,100); // set the linkweight in the NICM to a random num 0-100
                }
                else {  // no link here so set to -1 in NICM
                    NICM[i][j][2] = -1;
                }
            }

        }
    }