Unequal Clustering and Routing Algorithm Based on Dynamic Topology for WSN

For a large-scale wireless sensor networks (WSN), multi-hop communication will cause “energy holes” phenomenon. In order to improve the stability of WSN performance and balance the overall network load, a dynamic unequal clustering and routing algorithm for WSN (DUCR) is proposed in this paper. First, an unequal clustering algorithm is put forward based on WSN dynamic topology. Second, a WSN routing algorithm based on dynamic unequal clustering with fault tolerance mechanism is proposed to maximize parallel transmission. In the dynamic CH rotation phase, the base station is notified to re-clustering only when the number of cluster members is beyond the threshold, thereby adapting to the dynamic topology while reducing the overhead of frequent clustering. Extensive simulation experiments show that the DUCR can balance the network load, improve the stability of WSN performance and prolong the network lifetime.