Multi-Criterion Partial Clustering Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Cluster architectures are an effective approach for organizing sensor networks to balance the load and prolong network life. To cluster wireless sensor networks, this paper proposes an energy-efficient distributed algorithm. This algorithm uses two techniques (partial clustering and multi-criterion cluster formation) for efficient use of the sensor nodes’ energy. When a header expends a certain amount of power, it only notifies the nodes in its cluster that new clustering is required in the next round. Therefore, in contrast to previous studies that performed complete clustering, clustering in the present work is performed partially, which considerably reduces the clustering overhead. In addition, a multi-criterion score is calculated for each node. In this algorithm, a node with the highest remaining energy and score is a more suitable candidate to be selected as the head of the cluster. In addition, a regular node becomes the member of the cluster with the highest score in its vicinity. The experiments reveal the superiority of the proposed algorithm over other simulated algorithms in terms of energy savings and network lifetime.