Enhanced radio propagation modelling for future wireless networks

This thesis relates to the subject of propagation modelling for cellular radio communications. Since current generations of cellular radio are forecast to be incapable of delivering the data traffic expected by consumers, new 5G radio specifications have been put forward which have stringent latency, data rate, density and mobility requirements. To meet these requirements new technologies have been proposed such as mmWave and MIMO. To obtain a sufficient understanding of wireless radio channel behaviour to design these new systems well, channel models are required that handle their idiosyncrasies. This thesis discusses propagation modelling theory in Chapter 2, and shows how a ray tracing model can be used to design communication systems in Chapter 3. In Chapter 4, a new ray launching tool, designed to be an experimental platform for investigating models of propagation phenomena, is documented. In Chapter 5, diffuse scattering and diffraction models are implemented and evaluated against measured data. Chapter 6 describes techniques for the optimisation of ray tracing tools, and a new ray tracing tool is implemented as part of this work. Chapter 7 is devoted to the radio channel in situations in which there is mobility.