Improved Distributed Virtual Forces Algorithm for 3D Terrains Coverage in Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are composed of collaborating sensor nodes that are able to sense the environment in order to monitor physical phenomena and to track moving targets. Sensor deployment is a crucial issue in a WSN in order to optimize coverage and connectivity of sensors with an optimized number of sensor nodes. To reach this goal, sensor nodes must be placed at well-defined positions that will guarantee full area coverage. Previous researches were mainly interested in Two Dimensional plane deployment or in Three Dimensional volume deployment. But recently, some researchers focused their studies on sensor deployment in 3D surfaces, trying to achieve a high coverage rate while maintaining the network connectivity. In this paper, we are interested in a fully distributed deployment of WSN in several 3D terrain configurations using autonomous and mobile nodes. Our goal is to ensure full 3D surfaces coverage and maintain network connectivity while minimizing energy consumption. So, we propose 3D-IDVFA-TC, a distributed deployment algorithm based on an improved virtual forces strategy to move sensor nodes over 3D smooth, undulating and rough surfaces and in order to 1) provide 3D terrain full coverage 2) ensure network connectivity and 3) eliminate the nodes' oscillations problem which is the main drawback of virtual forces approach. Simulation results show that 3D-IDVFA-TC provides a full coverage rate regardless of the 3D surface shape while maintaining network connectivity and reduces the nodes' energy consumption when the full coverage is reached.