IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 48, NO.
2, MARCH 1999
A Comprehensive Double Knife-Edge Diffraction
Computation Method Based on the Complete Fresnel
Theory and a Recursive Series Expansion Method
Hatem Mokhtari
Abstract— This paper deals with the mathematical study of
the surface Fresnel integral (SFI) which enables a rigorous
computation of the double knife-edge diffraction. The proposed
method, which is based upon an analytical series calculation
for the SFI, becomes valid whatever the conditions of recep-
tion. Besides, the mathematical procedure that is proposed here
involves the incident shadow boundary neighborhood for both
knife-edge obstacles. Results are compared with some reference
well-known values which correspond to asymptotic cases, the
global system for mobile communications (GSM) and DCS1800
frequency bands, and a set of measurements. The suggested ana-
lytical method has been shown to be in very good agreement with
these expected particular theoretical values and field-strength
measurements, where different shadowing conditions, including
frequency dependence such as mobile communications bands,
have been considered for the sake of comparisons.
Index Terms— Diffraction, Fresnel theory, surface Fresnel in-
tegral.
I. INTRODUCTION
T HE RADIO-WAVE propagation which involves diffrac-
tion, reflection, and refraction is an essential phenomenon
especially for field-strength prediction regardless of the con-
cerned service or system, and many authors have been inter-
ested by the behavior of the interaction of waves with obsta-
cles. Diffraction is one of these important physical phenomena
which have been investigated using different philosophies. The
most commonly studied methods are geometrical theory of
diffraction (GTD), which is well known as an extension of the
geometrical optics and involves polarizations and the physical
properties of the obstacles [1], and the Huyghens’ principal-
based scalar approach [2], which considers only the secondary
fictive sources above each obstacle and, thus, by essence, does
not consider dispersive lossy edges. Besides, there has been
a great deal of simplifying methods whose formalism derives
somehow from one of these two main approaches, such as
the Bullington [3] and Deygout [4] methods. Moreover, as a
reference accurate method, Millington et al. [5] proposed an
analytical calculation method for the attenuation by diffraction
due to two successive obstacles. In their paper, they have
made use of the complete Fresnel theory which, thus, takes
account of the Huyghens’ principal and leads to the use of
Manuscript received September 19, 1996; revised August 18, 1997.
The author is with the Cellular Engineering Technical Group, MOBISTAR
N.V., 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
Publisher Item Identifier S 0018-9545(99)00780-X.
0018–9545/99$10.00  1999 IEEE
589
Fig. 1. Geometry of double knife-edge system.
the surface Fresnel integral (SFI) [6]. The authors considered
the diffracting screens to be nonabsorbent which simplifies
notably their formalism. The used assumptions will neither
be modified nor extended to any specific type of frequency-
dispersive screen. Only secondary sources will be considered
and screens assumed to be perfectly conductive, as the initial
investigation of Millington’s work stated.
The purpose of our investigation is to first give a quick
overview of this analytical method, to study in which con-
ditions it can be valid, and finally suggest a mathematical
treatment for the SFI using a series expansion recursive
calculations which allow a comprehensive range of validity
of this analytical computation method.
As it has been previously pointed out, our efforts have been
focused on how can this SFI be generalized and applied to
any receiving situation. Indeed, as a reminder, Millington et
al. [6] have derived asymptotic expressions for the SFI, but
only restricted cases have been studied, namely, the situations
where the observation point is located “deep in the shadow”
for either obstacles or receiver, or in the case where either
obstacle lies on the line of sight of the other.
The calculations of the SFI that are considered in this paper
find their application especially in the case where optical rays
lie in this vicinity of the direct incident shadow boundaries
(i.e., for both obstacles and the receiver), since accurate results
are given by Millington et al. in the asymptotic conditions (i.e.,
line of sight case and severe diffracting conditions). Moreover,
since the problem is of a mathematical nature, we find it
necessary to describe in detail our procedure through the next
sections starting with an overview of its initial formulations.
II. OVERVIEW OF MILLINGTON’S METHOD
A double knife-edge geometry is illustrated in Fig. 1, where
one can easily see the different utilized parameters according
to the work achieved by Millington et al. [5].
590 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 48, NO. 2, MARCH 1999

The method as described in Millington’s paper neglects the computation method for solving (9) is merely based upon the
lateral profile effect and considers only vertical Huyghens’ series expansion of [8] given by
sources which led the authors to the expression for the
diffracted electric field at the receiver (see Fig. 1) divided
by the free-space one. The ratio of these two fields reads
(10)
(1)
and substituting (10) into (9) gives
where the used parameters are given by

(2)

(3) (11)
or in a different form, assuming the convergence of the series
(4) in (11), as follows:

(5)

(6) (12)

and for the sake of computing (12), one could define a complex
(7)
variable

The properties of have been studied for a restricted (13)

set of conditions only as we have mentioned above.
remains then incompletely studied especially for intermediate Using a single integration by parts of (13), the following
values of Our mathematical calculations allow an accurate recursive equation is easily derived:
determination of in the case where lies within a
range of finite small values. Referring to the above-mentioned
(14)
paper [6], which describes the whole method of computing the
SFI, we may write in the following form:
Equation (14) is valid whatever be with the initial
(8) condition given by
(15)
where
which leads to the calculation of in (12) as the form below
(9)
(16)
When is sufficiently high, one can easily derive the
Epstein–Peterson model [7] which considers the case where where
the individual Fresnel parameters and of the obstacles to
be greater than 1.5. Accordingly, one should compute the cor- (17)
rection factor as it has been proved to be sin in Millington’s
paper [5]. At this stage, no intermediary expression, regarding and
the diffraction conditions, is available which led us to consider
this interesting situation especially when the diffracted ray lies (18)
within a reasonable range around the direct incident shadow
Finally, substituting (16) into (8) yields
boundary.

III. PROPOSED GENERAL SOLUTION

Since propagation depends upon several parameters such
as frequency, distances, and heights, we find it interesting
to examine the situations where shadowing conditions (i.e.,
for both obstacle or receiver) are not very severe so as to
complete the range of validity of Millington’s approach. Our
(19)
Indeed, the very fast convergence of the series in (19)
allowed us to sum its terms up to an integer fixed value, say
, which is sufficiently high to obtain the required
MOKHTARI: COMPREHENSIVE DOUBLE KNIFE-EDGE DIFFRACTION COMPUTATION METHOD
TABLE I
ASYMPTOTIC CASES i), ii), AND iii)
* Computed with the new approach using the series solution given by (19)
TABLE II
ASYMPTOTIC CASE iv) FREQUENCY =
900 AND 1800 MHz, RESPECTIVELY
* Computed with the new approach using the series solution given by (19)
** See (20)
accuracy. Beyond that value (i.e., ), the series
remains constant. Concerning the computation time, no more
than 3.62 s are spent on a PC 80486/ 66 MHz when
which is quite acceptable.
IV. EXAMPLES OF CALCULATION AND NUMERICAL RESULTS
As it has been stated previously, different situations for the
receiver are taken into account in view of testing our method.
For the sake of comparisons, we find it quite helpful to verify
the validity of our calculations [i.e., (19) especially] in some
particular asymptotic cases. The considered situations are those
where: 1) distances and are of equal spacing and both
obstacles of negligible heights; 2) obstacles are sufficiently
separated and both obstacles of negligible heights; 3) obstacles
are very close to each other and both obstacles of negligible
heights; and 4) finally one obstacle is in the line of sight of
the remaining one.
In the case where the diffracted ray lies within a reasonable
range around the incident shadow boundary, some results are
thus given in order to show that in such case our method
yields very good agreement with measurements and can also
be suitable for land mobile radio communications frequencies.
Furthermore, frequency is assumed to be a fixed value since
the purpose is to compare the validity of our computation
method on the basis of one tested frequency value at a time.
Results are reported in Tables I–III.
Since the second obstacle lies in the line of sight of the first
one, its height is accordingly taken as (see Table II)
(20)
Referring once again to Millington’s work, the attenuation
in this case is given by
(21)
where the dimensionless parameter is given by
(22)
591
TABLE III
INPUT PARAMETERS FOR THE PREDICTION
TABLE IV
PROPAGATION LOSS WHEN THE DIFFRACTED RAY IS IN
THE VICINITY OF THE INCIDENT SHADOW BOUNDARY
* Computed with the new approach using the series solution given by (19)
which is, by evidence, a frequency-dependent parameter and
can be identified as the Fresnel parameter related to the
main obstacle as it is commonly used in single knife-edge
diffraction calculation. That is the reason why in Table II the
operating frequency has been taken into account. Furthermore,
the relation in (21) is seemingly an appropriate asymptotic
approximation for the attenuation by diffraction in the case
where the Fresnel parameter exceeds 1.5. Also, in this case
(see Table II), results are in very good agreement.
Coming now to the case where the diffracting conditions for
both obstacles are neither severe nor on line of sight asymp-
totic situations, we suggest to compare some experimental
results in view of a realistic comparison of our method with the
measurements. Hence, results are reported in Table IV, where
individual Fresnel parameters have been added in order to
recognize that propagation is really around the incident shadow
boundaries. Table III summarizes the used parameters which
have been used by Giovanelli et al. [9].
* Computed with the new approach using the series solution
given by (19).
It can be noticed that, from Table IV, also for that case
the Millington et al. method remains in very good agreement
with the experimental data. Furthermore, the prediction by the
Epstein–Peterson method gives the worst value, which is quite
expectable because of its limited range of validity. Besides,
prediction by means of the Deygout procedure reveals that the
propagation loss is slightly pessimistic in view of the obtained
value.
V. CONCLUSION
The computation of the SFI is indeed analytically intractable
unless one could use numerical two-dimensional (2-D) im-
proper integration which is well known as a time-consuming
procedure. However, Millington et al. [5] solved this problem
in some conditions using series expansion and appropriate
approximations for a limiting set of conditions. Besides, the
method we have proposed in this investigation, which has been
tested in several diffracting conditions, has been proved to be
accurate enough to be taken as a comprehensive method for
592
the double knife-edge diffraction calculation using the Fresnel
scalar approach derived by Millington et al. analyses.
However, since the novel proposed approach gives very
good results with the asymptotic Epstein–Peterson method
[7], where the diffracting conditions are very severe, for
computation time reasons, one could use this approximation
rather than the series approach as it has been studied in this
paper. However, in intermediate diffracting conditions, our
method becomes more suitable in view of its accuracy as
mentioned by the comparisons.
Furthermore, the implemented series expansion and iter-
ations method can be extended to the multiple knife-edge
problem which has been studied by Vogler [10] whose diffrac-
tion model is limited to up to ten obstacles. However, our
series expansion approach requires, for the multiple diffracting
edges, a rigorous study of convergence since the integration
domain becomes a hypervolume rather than a 2-D surface as
it has been previously demonstrated.
REFERENCES
[1] R. J. Luebbers, “Finite conductivity uniform GTD versus knife-edge
diffraction in prediction of propagation path loss,” IEEE Trans. Antennas
Propagat., vol. AP-32, pp. 70–75, Jan. 1984.
[2] C. A. Balanis, Advanced Engineering Electromagnetics. New York:
Wiley, 1989.
[3] K. Bullington, “Radio propagation at frequencies about 30 Mc,” Proc.
IRE, vol. 35, no. 10, pp. 1122–1136, 1947.
[4] J. Deygout, “Multiple knife-edge diffraction of microwaves,” IEEE
Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-14, no. 4, pp. 480–489, 1966.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 48, NO. 2, MARCH 1999
[5] G. Millington, R. Hewitt, and F. S. Immirzi, “Double knife-edge
diffraction in field-strength prediction,” in IEE Monograph 507E, Mar.
1962, pp. 419–429.
[6] G. Millington, R. Hewitt, and F. S. Immirzi, “The Fresnel surface
integral,” in IEE Monograph 508E, Mar. 1962, pp. 430–437.
[7] J. Esptein and D. W. Peterson, “An experimental study of wave
propagation at 830 Mc,” Proc. IRE, vol 41, no. 5, pp. 595–611, 1953.
[8] I. S. Gradshteyn and I. M. Ryzhik, Table of Integrals, Series and
Products. New York: Academic, 1980.
[9] C. L. Giovanelli, “An analysis of simplified solutions for multiple knife-
edge diffraction,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-32, pp.
297–301, Mar. 1984.
[10] L. E. Vogler, “The attenuation of electromagnetic waves by multiple
knife-edge diffraction,” NTIA Rep. 20, Boulder, CO, Oct. 1981.
Hattem Mokhtari was born on September 18, 1964 in Constantine, Algeria.
He received the B.S. degree in physics electronics from the University
of Constantine, Constantine, in 1986, the M.S. degree in electronics from
the University of Nancy, Nancy, France, in 1987, and the Ph.D. degree in
electronics from the University of Metz, France, in 1992, where he worked
on guided multiwire propagation phenomena such as in-circular lossy tunnels.
In September 1992, he joined TDF-C2R, the research center of
TéléDiffusion de France, where he was involved in several projects dealing
with frequency planning in radio communications and broadcasting networks,
radio-wave propagation modeling, planning tools design, and antenna pattern
synthesis and theoretical modeling. Since September 1997, he has been with
Mobistar, Brussels, Belgium, the second Belgian GSM operator, where he
is in charge of radio parameters optimization and implementation of modern
features such as microcellular concepts and slow-frequency hopping in view
of reducing the effect of interferences in dense urban environments and,
hence, improving the overall speech quality and geographical coverage. He is
the author of several technical papers, most of them dedicated to theoretical
upstream research topics. He was designated as a potential evaluator within the
European Commission for the behalf of “Telematics Applications Programme”
projects from 1997 to 1998.