Applying the finite-difference time-domain to the modelling of large-scale radio channels

Finite-difference models have been used for nearly 40 years to solve electromagnetic problems of heterogeneous nature. Further, these techniques are well known for being computationally expensive, as well as subject to various numerical artifacts. However, little is yet understood about the errors arising in the simulation of wideband sources with the finitedifference time-domain (FDTD) method. Within this context, the focus of this thesis is on two different problems. On the one hand, the speed and accuracy of current FDTD implementations is analysed and increased. On the other hand, the distortion of numerical pulses is characterised and mitigation techniques proposed. In addition, recent developments in general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) have unveiled new methods for the efficient implementation of FDTD algorithms. Therefore, this thesis proposes specific GPU-based guidelines for the implementation of the standard FDTD. Then, metaheuristics are used for the calibration of a FDTD-based narrowband simulator. Regarding the simulation of wideband sources, this thesis uses first Lagrange multipliers to characterise the extrema of the numerical group velocity. Then, the spread of numerical Gaussian pulses is characterised analytically in terms of the FDTD grid parameters. The usefulness of the proposed solutions to the previously described problems is illustrated in this thesis using coverage and wideband predictions in large-scale scenarios. In particular, the indoor-to-outdoor radio channel in residential areas is studied. Furthermore, coverage and wideband measurements have also been used to validate the predictions. As a result of all the above, this thesis introduces first an efficient and accurate FDTD simulator. Then, it characterises analytically the propagation of numerical pulses. Finally, the narrowband and wideband indoorto-outdoor channels are modeled using the developed techniques.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo