Performance Evaluation of Layered Min-Sum LDPC Decoding in Wireless Sensor Networks over AWGN, Rayleigh, and Multipath Fading Channels

Wireless sensor networks require reliable and energy-efficient error-control techniques because sensor nodes operate under constrained energy resources and variable wireless channel conditions. This study evaluates a Layered Min-Sum (LMS) LDPC decoder with Early Stopping over AWGN, frequency-flat Rayleigh, and frequency-selective Multipath fading channels. A rate-1/2 (16,8) LDPC code with BPSK modulation was simulated in MATLAB using 1,600 information bits over Eb/N0 values of 1–9 dB. Performance was assessed using BER, average decoding iterations, and estimated decoding energy per bit (DEB). AWGN achieved the best overall performance, with mean BER, iterations, and DEB of 0.0170, 2.1470, and 0.1503 nJ/bit, respectively. Rayleigh and Multipath fading produced higher mean BERs of 0.0671 and 0.2034, respectively. The results demonstrate that fading conditions substantially influence LDPC decoding reliability, computational effort, and energy consumption.