A Comparison of Spherical versus Plane-Wave Multiple-Plateau Diffraction Solution for Predicting Path Loss in Urban Environments

A comparison between path loss predicted in urban environments when considering the multiple diffraction of a plane wave by a series of flat-roofed buildings (rectangular plateaux) and that which is evaluated for the same scenario when assuming the incident wave to be spherical is presented. Two hybrid uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) - physical optics (PO) solutions for calculating the multiple-building forward diffraction are employed in order to carry out the mentioned analysis, and predicted values of received signal strength in different typical urban environments are compared with measurements with the aim of clarifying the validity of each incidence assumption. Results can be used to perform a more accurate and realistic planning of radio communication systems.