Routing Clustering Protocol for 3D Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Fragile Collection Ant Colony Algorithm

Compared with two-dimensional wireless sensor networks (2DWSNs), three-dimensional wireless sensor networks (3DWSNs) have higher node energy consumption and weaker load balancing. To alleviate these problems, we propose a new multi-hop routing clustering protocol for a wide range of 3DWSNs. In terms of clustering, nodes will run for cluster head (CH) by timing broadcast based on their remaining energy and their average distance from surrounding nodes. Two new identity nodes are added between the CH and the member nodes, the load transfer node responsible for transferring the energy consumption of the CH, and the secondary cluster head node (SCH) acting as the CH for the next round. In order to reduce energy consumption in key node areas, we also enable key nodes to communicate directly with the sink node. In the aspect of routing construction, SN generates the routing table corresponding to each CH through our proposed fragile ant colony algorithm. Because CH and SCH exist at the same time and have a certain replacement order, the SN only needs to obtain the location of each CH when the network is first clustered, and can continuously generate a new routing table corresponding to the CH, which reduces the energy consumption of the network in the routing path construction. We simulate this protocol, LEACH protocol, AZ-SEP protocol, and UCNPD protocol in a three-dimensional environment. The results show that this protocol is better than the other three protocols in terms of network lifetime and network load balance, respectively.