An empirical path loss model for Wireless Sensor Network deployment in a concrete surface environment

This paper presents a path loss model for predicting signal propagation of wireless sensor nodes deployed in concrete surface environments. To create the model, radio frequency (RF) measurements were collected through Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) deployment in such environment. From the actual measurements, the parameters of the log-normal shadowing model are fine-tuned to develop an accurate path loss model. In addition, the presented RF measurements and empirical path loss model are compared with measurements and models obtained from long-grass and sparse-tree environments, which were presented in a previous work. The results from the comparison of such different environments show significant differences in path loss and empirical models´ parameters. Furthermore, the comparison between the proposed model and largely used path loss models such as free space path loss (FSPL) and Two-Ray demonstrate the inaccuracy of these models in predicting path loss between wireless sensor nodes deployed in concrete surface environments.