The pervasiveness of wireless communications in modern society is unprecedent. Using numerous wireless technologies, including cellular, WiFi, WiMax and others, users gain ubiquitous access to a wealth of information services relevant to their everyday lives. These include communication services (voice, email, text), commercial transactions (e-banking, e-trading), location-based services (points of interest, navigation), social networking, web access, and others. Further proliferation of mobile services and applications provided via wireless communications is contingent upon the network's reliability and security. As this wireless revolution continues to unfold, users have grown increasingly concerned with the amount of sensitive information that leaks to unauthorized parties. They have also become more skeptical to the abilities of current technologies in providing a reliable and secure environment. The problem of ensuring network reliability and security is particularly challenging in the wireless domain. The open nature of the wireless medium leaves it accessible to any device equipped with a transceiver. Wireless networks remain vulnerable to numerous attacks, including eavesdropping, packet modification and injection, replay, impersonation, and jamming. Moreover, the poor physical security of the majority of wireless stations (mobile devices, sensor, etc.) makes them susceptible to physical compromise. Such compromised devices become a launchpad for internal attacks from adversaries with intimate knowledge of network secrets and protocol specifications. Internal attacks are much harder to counter than external ones since the adversary can bypass typical cryptographic methods that authorize user access. In this dissertation, we investigate attacks on wireless communications launched by internal adversaries. In particular, we are concerned with sophisticated intentional interference (jamming) attacks against broadcast communications. Such attacks have been shown to be detrimental to network operation. We further consider the problem of distributed node coordination in dynamic spectrum networks. To address these problems, we design novel communication protocols that protect broadcast communications from internal attacks via a combination of randomization, redundancy and cryptographic techniques. We propose new security metrics to quantify the ability of the adversary to deny access to the broadcast channel. We introduce a randomized distributed scheme that allows nodes to establish and maintain the broadcast channel in the presence of the jammer. Also this scheme uniquely identifies the set of compromised nodes, both when nodes are acting independently and when they are colluding. To protect broadcast communication performed on control channel, we propose a secure broadcast scheme called TDBS, which implements the broadcast operation as a series of unicast transmissions, distributed in frequency and time. Finally, we address the problem of dynamically assigning the control channel in CRNs based on time- and space-varying spectrum opportunities. We propose a cluster-based architecture that allocates different channels for control at various clusters in the network. The clustering problem is formulated as a bipartite graph problem, for which we develop a class of algorithms to implement. Extensive simulations are conducted to verify the validity of the proposed mechanisms.

With increasing technological advancements more sophisticated mobile devices are being used by end-users. Third generation (3G) mobile communication systems such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) are not able to satisfy the rising demand for higher throughputs and low latencies. New standards based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), have been proposed and are currently being integrated into existing mobile networks all over the world. LTE specifications are being finalized within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) with the ambitious goals of increased spectral efficiency and end user throughput. Despite the introduction of several high data rate services, voice communication is still an essential part of the overall wireless wide area cellular communication market. In LTE, the core network is purely packet switched, thus voice is transmitted entirely using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Like its predecessor standards it is desired that a large number of simultaneous VoIP calls be supported in LTE, while satisfying the desired Quality of Service (QoS) demands. This thesis examines issues related to VoIP capacity for LTE. One of the key challenges is the limited number of schedulable voice packets per sub frame. The main goal of this thesis is to quantify the impact of this limitation. After describing basic LTE concepts, a detailed description of the control channel resource limitations for the scheduling of voice packets is presented. Consequences of these limitations are explained systematically by presenting the problem in a wider context. Simulation results were obtained using the openWNS Simulator, an event driven system level simulation platform developed at the Communication Networks Research Group (ComNets), RWTH Aachen University Germany. Results are presented showing the impact of different scheduling strategies on VoIP capacity. These results illustrate how the limited control channel resources, specifically the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources, affect the total number of schedulable VoIP user audio media streams. / Med ökande tekniska framsteg mer avancerade mobila enheter som används av slutanv ändarna. Tredje generationens (3G) mobila kommunikationssystem såsom Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) inte kan tillgodose den ökande efterfrågan på högre genomströmning och låga latenser. Nya standarder som bygger på Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), såsom Long Term Evolution (LTE) och Worldwide Interoperability för Microwave Access (WiMAX), har föreslagits och håller på att integreras I befintliga mobilnät över hela världen. LTE specifikationer håller på att färdigställas inom 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) med de ambitiösa målen om ökad spektral effektivitet och slutanvändare genomstr ömning. Trots införandet av flera tjänster av hög datahastighet, är röstkommunikation fortfarande en väsentlig del av den totala Wireless Wide Area cellulär kommunikation marknaden. I LTE är kärnnätet rent paketförmedlande därmed röst överförs helt och hållet med hjälp av en Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Precis som sina föregångare standarder är det önskvärt att ett stort antal samtidiga VoIP samtal få stöd i LTE, samtidigt som det uppfyller önskade Quality of Service (QoS) krav. Denna avhandling undersöker frågor relaterade till VoIP kapacitet för LTE. En av de viktigaste utmaningarna är det begränsade antalet schemaläggningsbart röst paket per sub ram. Det huvudsakliga målet med denna avhandling är att kvantifiera effekterna av denna begränsning. Efter att ha beskrivit de grundläggande LTE begrepp, är en detaljerad beskrivning av de resurser kontroll kanal begränsningar för schemaläggning av röst paket presenteras. Konsekvenser av dessa begränsningar förklaras systematiskt genom att presentera problemet i ett större sammanhang. Simulering resultat erhölls med hjälp av openWNS Simulator, en händelse driven systemnivå simulering som utvecklats vid Communication Networks Research Group (ComNets), RWTH Aachen University Tyskland. Resultat presenteras som visar effekterna av olika schemaläggning strategier för VoIP kapacitet. Dessa resultat illustrerar hur de begränsade kontroll kanalresurser, särskilt fysiskt Downlink (PDCCH) resurser, påverkar det totala antalet schemaläggningsbart VoIP användare ljud mediaströmmar.

High velocity channels are typically designed to discharge surplus water during severe flood events, and these types of flow are distinguished by high velocity, usually supercritical. A major challenge in high velocity channel design is to predict the free surface flow. Being able to predict the free surface flow profile beforehand can assist in selecting the best design for the channel as a whole. When the flow encounters a bridge pier, the streamline of the flow is separated and pressure may drop to a minimum; in contrast, velocity rises to its maximum value. As a result, cavitation damage may occur. The present study has used the computational fluid dynamics code ANSYS-CFX to investigate a full scale, three-dimensional engineering flow simulation of high velocity channels with different cross sections. The simulations were carried out on a high performance computing HPC cluster with 32 nodes. The code is based on the finite volume method and the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method was used to predict the position of the free surface profile. The impact of variation of the following parameters was investigated in terms of the free surface flow profile, both along the centreline and the wall of the channel: the minimum cavity index, and maximum shear stress on both bed and wall of the channel and on bridge pier; aspect ratio (channel bed width/flow depth), bed and side slopes of the channel, different discharges, which are represented by Froude numbers; the length and thickness of the bridge pier. First, the code sensitivity tools for convergence were examined. For this purpose, cases with different mesh sizes were examined and the best size chosen, depending on computation expense and convergence. Then, different turbulence models, such as the standard k-ε, RNG k-ε, and SST turbulence models were tested. The results show that the standard k-ε gives satisfactory results. Next, efforts were made to establish whether the flow achieved steady state conditions. This involved simulating two cases, one with steady state and the other with a transient state. Comparison of the two results shows that the flow properties do not change after three seconds and stay stable thereafter, so the flow can be considered as attaining a steady state. Finally, symmetry within the model geometry was tested, as this would allow a reduction in computation time, with only one side of the symmetrical model needing to be simulated. Two cases were investigated: firstly a simulation of only half of the channel geometry, and secondly a full geometry simulation. A comparison of the results of each case showed that the flow can be considered symmetrical along the centreline of the channel. Next, the code was validated against both numerical and experimental published results. For the free surface flow profile and velocity distribution the published experimental and numerical work of Stockstill (1996) was used; the ANSYS-CFX code results agree more closely with Stockstill’s experimental data than Stockstill’s numerical data. To test for shear stress distribution on the wall, uniform flow within a trapezoidal cross section channel was investigated and the results compared with those presented in the literature. The comparison shows good agreement between the ANSYS-CFX and published experimental works, for the predicted shear stress distributions on the walls and the bed of the channel. In total, sixty cases were simulated in order to investigate the impact of variations in the aforementioned parameters on maximum flow depth (both along the centreline and the wall of the channel) minimum cavity index, and maximum shear stress on both bed and wall of the channel and on bridge pier. Finally, non-dimensional curves are provided in addition to formulae derived from the data regression, which are intended to provide useful guidelines for designers.

Control of the transition of laminar flow to turbulence would result in lower drag and reduced energy consumption in many engineering applications. A spectral state-space model of linearised plane Poiseuille flow with wall transpiration ac¬tuation and wall shear measurements is developed from the Navier-Stokes and continuity equations, and optimal controllers are synthesized and assessed in sim¬ulations of the flow. The polynomial-form collocation model with control by rate of change of wall-normal velocity is shown to be consistent with previous interpo¬lating models with control by wall-normal velocity. Previous methods of applying the Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions to Chebyshev series are shown to be not strictly valid. A partly novel method provides the best numerical behaviour after preconditioning. Two test cases representing the earliest stages of the transition are consid¬ered, and linear quadratic regulators (LQR) and estimators (LQE) are synthesized. Finer discretisation is required for convergence of estimators. A novel estimator covariance weighting improves estimator transient convergence. Initial conditions which generate the highest subsequent transient energy are calculated. Non-linear open- and closed-loop simulations, using an independently derived finite-volume Navier-Stokes solver modified to work in terms of perturbations, agree with linear simulations for small perturbations. Although the transpiration considered is zero net mass flow, large amounts of fluid are required locally. At larger perturbations the flow saturates. State feedback controllers continue to stabilise the flow, but estimators may overshoot and occasionally output feedback destabilises the flow. Actuation by simultaneous wall-normal and tangential transpiration is derived. There are indications that control via tangential actuation produces lower highest transient energy, although requiring larger control effort. State feedback controllers are also synthesized which minimise upper bounds on the highest transient energy and control effort. The performance of these controllers is similar to that of the optimal controllers.

This work investigates the possibility to accelerate a procedure in 4G/LTE systems, known as control channel analysis. The aim is to perform the procedure in real-time on cheap and accessible hardware.An LTE decoder implemented in software is modified to perform the procedure.The modified software is analyzed and profiled. The most time-consuming decoding steps are identified and implemented in hardware description language.The results show an acceleration of the most time-consuming steps of almost 50 times faster compared to implementation in software only. Furthermore, the resource utilization of the hardware design scales linearly with respect to faster decode time, if necessary the acceleration can be increased. However, the results from the profiling and time measurements of the software show that the time requirement is violated by other decoding steps.The thesis concludes that an acceleration in hardware of the most time-consuming steps is possible. However, to satisfy the time requirement further decode steps are required to be accelerated and/or a faster processor can be used.

Cognitive radio (CR) is seen as one of the enabling technologies for realizing a new regulatory spectrum management paradigm, viz. opportunistic spectrum sharing (OSS). In the OSS paradigm, unlicensed users (a.k.a. secondary users) opportunistically operate in fallow licensed spectrum on a non-interference basis to licensed users (a.k.a. incumbent or primary users). Incumbent users have absolute priority in licensed bands, and secondary users must vacate the channel where incumbent user signals are detected. A CR network is composed of secondary users equipped with CRs and it can coexist with incumbent users in licensed bands under the OSS paradigm. The coexistence between incumbent users and secondary users is referred to as incumbent coexistence, and the coexistence between CR networks of the same type is referred to as self-coexistence. In this dissertation, we address three coexistence-related problems at the medium access control (MAC) layer in CR networks: (1) the rendezvous (control channel) establishment problem, (2) the channel assignment problem in an ad hoc CR network, and (3) the spectrum sharing problem between infrastructure-based CR networks, i.e., the 802.22 wireless regional area networks (WRANs). Existing MAC layer protocols in conventional wireless networks fail to adequately address the key issues concerning incumbent and self coexistence that emerge in CR networks. To solve the rendezvous establishment problem, we present a systematic approach, based on quorum systems, for designing channel hopping protocols that ensure a pair of CRs to "rendezvous" within an upper-bounded time over a common channel that is free of incumbent user signals. In a single radio interface, ad hoc CR network, we propose a distributed channel assignment scheme that assigns channels at the granularity of "segments" for minimizing the channel switching overhead. By taking into account the coexistence requirements, we propose an inter-network spectrum sharing protocol that enables the sharing of vacant TV white space among coexisting WRANs. Our analytical and simulation results show that these proposed schemes can effectively address the aforementioned MAC layer coexistence problems in CR networks. / Ph. D.

The tremendous success of various wireless applications operating in unlicensed bands has resulted in the overcrowding of those bands. Cognitive radio (CR) is a new technology that enables an unlicensed user to coexist with incumbent users in licensed spectrum bands without inducing interference to incumbent communications. This technology can significantly alleviate the spectrum shortage problem and improve the efficiency of spectrum utilization. Networks consisting of CR nodes (i.e., CR networks)---often called dynamic spectrum access networks or NeXt Generation (XG) communication networks---are envisioned to provide high bandwidth to mobile users via heterogeneous wireless architectures and dynamic spectrum access techniques. In recent years, the operational aspects of CR networks have attracted great research interest. However, research on the security aspects of CR networks has been very limited. In this thesis, we discuss security issues that pose a serious threat to CR networks. Specifically, we focus on three potential attacks that can be launched at the physical or MAC layer of a CR network: primary user emulation (PUE) attack, spectrum sensing data falsification (SSDF) attack, and control channel jamming (CCJ) attack. These attacks can wreak havoc to the normal operation of CR networks. After identifying and analyzing the attacks, we discuss countermeasures. For PUE attacks, we propose a transmitter verification scheme for attack detection. The scheme utilizes the location information of transmitters together with their signal characteristics to verify licensed users and detect PUE attackers. For both SSDF attacks and CCJ attacks, we seek countermeasures for attack mitigation. In particular, we propose Weighted Sequential Probability Ratio Test (WSPRT) as a data fusion technique that is robust against SSDF attacks, and introduce a multiple-rendezvous cognitive MAC (MRCMAC) protocol that is robust against CCJ attacks. Using security analysis and extensive numerical results, we show that the proposed schemes can effectively counter the aforementioned attacks in CR networks. / Ph. D.

Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is the fourth generation (4G) wireless communications standard and its evolution is paving the path for the fifth generation (5G) technology. LTE is also considered for supporting public safety networks, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications, and many other applications. Hence, it is critical to ensure that the LTE system performs effectively even in harsh signaling environments. Unfortunately, LTE is vulnerable to intentional interference at the physical layer. We define the term LTE control channel spoofing, which refers to the case when an adversary sets a fake LTE-like base station (evolved NodeB or eNodeB) that transmits a partial or full LTE downlink frame to deceive LTE devices and hinder them from attaching to a real cell. Based on analyzing the initial cell selection process in the LTE specifications, we identify three different level of LTE control channel spoofing. We have built a testbed to demonstrate the feasibility of such an attack. The experimental results show that LTE control channel spoofing can cause permanent denial of service for LTE devices during the cell selection process. We propose effective mitigation techniques to enhance the immunity of LTE systems against all the three forms of LTE control channel spoofing, and ensure that it is secure and available when and where needed. Moreover, the commercial success of LTE and the resulting growth in mobile data demand have motivated cellular network operators to strive for new innovations. LTE-Unlicensed has been recently proposed to allow cellular network operators to offload some of their data traffic by accessing the unlicensed 5 GHz frequency band. There are three variants of LTE-Unlicensed that have been proposed in the industry. These variants differ in their operational features, but they enhance the capacity of LTE and represent a big milestone in its evolution toward 5G. However, LTE-Unlicensed faces several challenges when operating in the 5 GHz bands, as this spectrum is mainly occupied by Wi-Fi and by various radar systems. Therefore, we analyze the algorithms proposed in the industry for the LTE-Unlicensed and Wi-Fi coexistence, and we develop a new spectrum sharing technique for the coexistence between LTE-Unlicensed and radar systems. In order to analyze LTE-Unlicensed and Wi-Fi coexistence, we first explain the technical details of each of the three variants of LTE-Unlicensed, and we provide a comparative analysis of them in terms of their operational features. Then we develop an unbiased and objective evaluation of their proposed coexistence mechanisms with Wi-Fi systems, and numerically compare their performance. In order to emphasize the need for developing a new spectrum sharing technique for the coexistence between LTE-Unlicensed and radar systems, we first present the different regulatory requirements for the 5 GHz unlicensed bands in several world regions, and we perform a comprehensive survey on the different radar types within the 5 GHz sub-bands. Then we develop a novel spectrum sharing technique based on chance-constrained stochastic optimization to allow the LTE-Unlicensed eNodeB to share the spectrum efficiently with a radar system. The optimization problem is formulated to guarantee the minimum performance criteria for the radar operation, and at the same time allows the LTE-Unlicensed eNodeB to control its transmit power to maximize the performance for the serving LTE-Unlicensed device. A mathematical model is used to transform the stochastic optimization problem into a deterministic one, and an exhaustive search is used to solve the resulting optimization problem. Due to the power control mechanism resulting from the proposed algorithm, numerical results show a significant reduction in the protection distance required between the radar and the LTE-Unlicensed network for the two to coexist, as the proposed algorithm can allow the two systems to operate effectively with a protection distance of only 3.95% of the one imposed by the regulations.

Common control channels in cognitive radio (CR) ad hoc networks are spectrum resources temporarily allocated and commonly available to CR users for control message exchange. With no presumably available network infrastructure, CR users rely on cooperation to perform spectrum management functions. One the one hand, CR users need to cooperate to establish common control channels, but on the other hand, they need to have common control channels to facilitate such cooperation. This control channel problem is further complicated by primary user (PU) activities, channel impairments, and intelligent attackers. Therefore, how to reliably and securely establish control links in CR ad hoc networks is a challenging problem. In this work, a framework for control channel design and analysis is proposed to address control channel reliability and security challenges for seamless communication and spectral efficiency in CR ad hoc networks. The framework tackles the problem from three perspectives: (i) responsiveness to PU activities: an efficient recovery control channel method is devised to efficiently establish control links and extend control channel coverage upon PU's return while mitigating the interference with PUs, (ii) robustness to channel impairments: a reinforcement learning-based cooperative sensing method is introduced to improve cooperative gain and mitigate cooperation overhead, and (iii) resilience to jamming attacks: a jamming-resilient control channel method is developed to combat jamming under the impacts of PU activities and spectrum sensing errors by leveraging intrusion defense strategies. This research is particularly attractive to emergency relief, public safety, military, and commercial applications where CR users are highly likely to operate in spectrum-scarce or hostile environment.

Avec le développement des technologies de communication sans fil, les réseaux de capteur à radio cognitive (CRSNs) représentent une solution efficace pour le déploiement des réseaux électriques intelligents, connus aussi sous le nom de smart grids. La technologie de radio cognitive permet aux nœuds capteurs d’utiliser les bandes de fréquences non utilisées par des utilisateurs avec licence afin de contourner les limitations des bandes de fréquences sans licence. Dans ce contexte, plusieurs problèmes de communication freinent le déploiement des CRSNs pour les smart grids tel que la coexistence de différentes applications électriques ainsi que l’hétérogénéité des disponibilités des bandes de fréquence avec licence entre les nœuds capteurs. Les travaux de recherche menés dans cette thèse se focalisent essentiellement sur l’allocation des ressources spectrales pour les CRSNs déployés pour contrôler des smart grids. Nous proposons des nouvelles techniques d’allocation de ressources spectrales qui prennent en considération des topologies de déploiement possibles des CRSNs dans les smart grids tout en assurant d’une manière distribuée l’équité entre les nœuds capteurs déployés. Tout au long de notre travail, l’allocation des canaux est effectuée sans faire appel à un canal de contrôle en commun pour le partage des messages de contrôle avant chaque accès au spectre. L'évaluation de performances des différentes solutions développées montre qu'elles réalisent effectivement une allocation opportuniste des ressources spectrales d’une manière distribuée et équitable tout en considérant différentes caractéristiques du système sous-jacent aux réseaux électriques intelligents. / With the advances in wireless communication technologies, cognitive radio sensor networks (CRSNs) stand as an efficient spectrum solution in the development of intelligent electrical power networks, the smart grids. The cognitive radio (CR) technology provides the sensors with the ability to use the temporally available licensed spectrum in order to escape the unlicensed spectrum resource scarcity problem. In this context, several challenging communication issues face the CRSN deployment for smart grids such as the coexistence of different electrical applications and the heterogeneous opportunities to access available licensed channels between smart grid sensors. The work conducted in this thesis focuses on spectrum resource allocations for CRSNs in smart grids. We concentrate our efforts on the development of new spectrum resource sharing paradigms for CRSNs in smart grids. The developed solutions focus on distributed and balanced spectrum sharing among smart grid sensors and on eventual CRSN deployment scenarios in smart grid areas. All along the thesis, channels are assigned without relying on a predefined common control channel (CCC) to exchange control messages before each spectrum access trial. All along the thesis, channels are assigned without relying on a predefined common control channel (CCC) to exchange control messages before each spectrum access trial. Performance evaluation of the different proposed channel assignment solutions shows their ability to achieve a distributed and fair opportunistic spectrum assignment in a way to consider different smart grid system characteristics.