Architectural features and urban propagation

Radiocoverage measurements in urban environments often unveil unexpected power distribution patterns. Architectural features seem to be the cause of this behavior, as demonstrated in this paper. We demonstrate that the elements of a typical building facade, such as windows, exterior doors, balconies and railings, should be considered as significant "sources" of EM radiation in several current wireless communication systems. We propose a method for modeling the influence of those scatterers in EM wave propagation. In our model, the major structural elements are represented by two sets of orthogonally arranged wedges. The uniform geometrical theory of diffraction is employed to calculate the scattering field. The simulation results show that such "urban" scatterers may create a dominant propagation mode in an urban canyon. Our predictions are additionally verified by experimental measurements, performed at two different sites. Finally, the influence of roadside foliage is investigated and conclusions are drawn on the resultant field