Degree-energy-based local random routing strategies for sensor networks

•Studying five comparable degree-energy-based local random routing strategies for sensor networks.•Investigating a degree-energy-awareness principle on performances and costs of various sensor networks.•Providing some references, guidelines and rules of thumb for designing more efficient sensor networks.

This paper proposes several comparable degree-energy-based local random routing strategies for wireless sensor networks and reports a detailed numerical study of the new strategies. Specifically, energy consumption and lifetime efficiency of sensor networks are investigated for five different structural topologies and five different routing methods under the degree-energy-awareness principle, regarding their performances and costs. The new findings could provide some references and guidelines for designing more efficient sensor networks under various conditions for future applications. Based on these findings, a few rules of thumb for the design of more energy-efficient sensor networks are suggested.