Abstract

Background: Despite so many constraints, the limited battery power of the sensor nodes is the core issue in Wireless Sensor Networks. This compels how to extend the lifetime of the network as long as possible. One of the ways to solve the problem is to balance the relay traffic load to extend the lifetime.

Objective: In this paper, a load balancing algorithm is suggested that selects the best possible relay node so that uniform consumption of the battery power of the sensor nodes can be ensured.

Methods: After random deployment, sensor nodes collect information about their neighbors and their expected load. The selection of new next hop starts from maximum hop count. Next hop of the nodes having a single parent is set first. Remaining nodes select their next hop in the non-increasing order of their load.

Results: Simulation results verify that packet delivery ratio for proposed work is up to 50% till 72% of total time duration and no nodes getting dead till 48% of total time duration, while for others, nodes start getting dead around 36% of total time duration. Also, it is proved that the solution obtained by proposed work can be at most 1.5 times imbalanced as compared to the optimal solution which implies our solution is quite near to the optimal one.

Conclusion: Load balancing done in our work has shown more positive results in comparison to others in terms of network lifetime and first node death and which is also verified with F-test with α- value to be 0.05.

Keywords: Load balancing, load, residual energy, network lifetime, wireless sensor networks, F-test.

Graphical Abstract