TITLE:
Design and Optimization of Data Acquisition System Using Wireless Underground Sensor Networks
AUTHORS:
Raghu Krishnappa, Semih Aslan, Harold Stern
KEYWORDS:
Wireless Underground Sensor Networks (WUSN), Data Acquisition System (DAQ), Software Defined Radio (SDR), Pipeline Monitoring, QPSK, Underground Communication, GNU Radio
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Computer and Communications,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
11,
2025
ABSTRACT: Wireless Underground Sensor Networks (WUSNs) offer promising solutions for applications such as pipeline monitoring, agriculture, and border patrol, but they face significant challenges due to signal attenuation in underground environments. This paper presents the design, optimization, and experimental validation of a WUSN-based data acquisition system specifically designed to detect water leakage in underground pipelines. The challenges of reliable underground communication are addressed by investigating system performance in the 450 MHz and 900 MHz frequency bands using Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology and Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation. An experimental testbed was developed featuring a buried subsurface sensor module communicating with a surface data acquisition module. Results demonstrate successful data transmission at depths up to 1.5 meters, analyzing the trade-offs between operating frequency, modulation scheme, burial depth, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and data rate. QPSK modulation at 900 MHz provided a favorable balance of data rate and reliability for the tested conditions.