Study of RF Propagation Characteristics for Wireless Sensor Networks in Railroad Environments

The freight railroad industry in North America is exerting efforts to leverage wireless sensor networks (WSN) to monitor systems and components on railcars. This allows fault detection and accident prevention even while a train is moving. Railcars, constructed mostly of ferrous materials such as steel, are expected to severely impact signal propagation. To better understand this effect, the authors first evaluated the signal characteristics when sensor nodes are placed in various locations around railcars. They used EM-Field modeling and evaluation techniques to obtain these results and found that node placement selection is critical for the nodes communication distance. As a second research area, the authors therefore aimed at understanding the protocol requirements and limitations of current WSN technologies. Based on the results of the study, the authors found ZigBee to be inadequate for freight WSNs and developed a solution that remedies the observed problems. The evaluation of this new multi-tier approach shows a significant performance and network lifetime gain, making freight train wireless sensor networks feasible.

• Record URL:
  http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/finalreports/Sharif_PropagationCharacteristicsWirelessSensorNetworks.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/34360
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Nebraska, Lincoln

  Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering
  Omaha, NE  United States  68182-0572

  Mid-America Transportation Center

  University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  2200 Vine Street, PO Box 830851
  Lincoln, NE  United States  68583-0851

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Sharif, Hamid
  • Hempel, Michael
• Publication Date: 2010-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Research Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 79p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer network protocols; Fault monitoring; Freight trains; Network nodes; Radio frequency; Radio frequency interference; Radio wave propagation; Railroad cars; Sensors; Steel; Wireless communication systems
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment; I95: Vehicle Inspection;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01360656
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MATC-UNL: 226, 25-1121-0001-226
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 25 2012 11:56AM