Simultaneous optimization of cluster head selection and inter-cluster routing in wireless sensor networks using a 2-level genetic algorithm

Abstract

In cluster-based sensor networks, at each cluster, sensor nodes send the collected data to a cluster head which aggregates and forwards them to a sink node. Data transmission from a cluster head to the sink node can be done in a multi-hop fashion through other cluster heads. Hence, two problems need to be addressed in this regard: Selection of cluster heads, and optimal multi-hop routing. In previous studies, these two problems have been solved separately in two independent phases. This paper proposes a novel approach to solve them simultaneously in order to increase the network lifetime. In the proposed scheme, the cluster head’s role in transmitting the inter-cluster traffic is considered during the cluster head selection process. In other words, cluster heads are selected in a way which reduces the energy consumption for transmitting data from a cluster head to the sink node. To achieve this goal, the genetic algorithm is used in two levels. The first-level genetic algorithm selects the cluster heads while the second-level one considers multi-hop routing among them. Simulation of the proposed method and comparison of its results with three previously proposed schemes which solve the problems separately indicate the superiority of the proposed optimization scheme in improving the lifetime of the network.