Abstract
Wireless technology constitutes the basis of the majority of modem communication systems. The deployment of wireless systems mainly concerns data services such as mobile and broadcasting applications, or target identification and military services. The key element for the successful planning of any kind of wireless network is the detailed and in depth knowledge of the propagation channel. The mobility of the user and the physical obstructions that may intervene in the propagation path between the communication points cause distortion to the transmitted information. The understanding of the propagation conditions and the channel characterisation is achieved either by extensive measurement campaigns or by employing sophisticated propagation algorithms. Since the measurement campaign is an expensive and time consuming task, contemporary research is focused on the development of deterministic models that can accurately predict the channel behaviour in real environments. The demand for high data delivery services in modem communication systems requires the utilisation of large bandwidth at high frequency regions of the available spectrum. Therefore, asymptotic high frequency modelling techniques and relevant algorithms have emerged as the major propagation modelling tools for modern radio systems analysis and design. In this thesis, we address the problem of high frequency diffraction over complex structures and scenarios that incorporate a cascade of physical canonical obstructions in the propagation path between the two ends. New formulations are derived for field predictions over rounded surfaces and a cascade of multi-shape structures. The Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD) is applied in all the work and it is further extended to account for transition zone diffraction over scenarios that incorporate arbitrary multiple canonical objects being multi-shaped in nature. The concept of continuity equations and slope diffraction are also emphasized. The simulation results show uniform and accurate field predictions and extensive comparison tests are performed with other diffraction theories and measurements. The developed formulations are incorporated in a propagation tool for irregular terrain channel modelling. An unambiguous terrain modelling algorithm is synthesized and used to assign optimum fitted canonical shapes to the terrain irregularities. The results of the simulations are compared with real measurements over irregular scenarios and a very good fit is observed. The importance of the choice of the used canonical shape to the terrain modelling is also highlighted.