• Author's Declaration (2)
• Abstract (3)
• Acknowledgements (5)
• Dedication (6)
• List of Figures (7)
• List of Tables (17)
• List of Symbols and Abbreviations (22)
• Introduction (25)
  • Motivation (25)
  • Dataset Descriptions (32)
• Specifications of the IEEE 802.11p Protocol (35)
  • IEEE 802.11 Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) (35)
  • Physical Sub-layer in IEEE 802.11p (37)
  • MAC Sub-layer in IEEE 802.11p (38)
• Literature Review (41)
  • Performance Analysis of the IEEE 802.11p (41)
  • Performance Enhancement of MAC Protocols in VANETs (55)
• The Semi-Markov Process Model (63)
  • Random Processes (63)
  • Analysis of Markov Chains (64)
    • Discrete Parameter Case (65)
    • Continuous Parameter Case (66)
    • State Classification of Markov Chains (66)
  • Long-term Behaviour of Markov Chains (67)
  • Long-term Behaviour of Semi-Markov Chains (69)
  • Explanation of the SMP Model (70)
  • Solving the SMP Model (73)
  • Summary (76)
• Quantitative Performance Evaluation (78)
  • Problem Statement and System Assumptions (78)
  • Evaluation of the i.i.d Assumption for Inter-vehicle Spacing (80)
    • The Correlation Coefficient between Inter-vehicle Spacing (82)
    • The Wald-Wolfowitz Runs Test (84)
    • The Kolmogrov-Smirnov Test (87)
  • Traffic-Dependent Counting Processes (89)
    • The Renewal Theory and the Inter-vehicle Spacing Distribution (89)
    • The Lognormal-distributed Inter-vehicle Spacing (91)
    • The GEV-distributed Inter-vehicle Spacing (94)
    • Validation (95)
      • Validation for Lognormal-distributed Inter-vehicle Spacing (96)
      • Validation for GEV-distributed Inter-vehicle Spacing (97)
  • Quantitative Performance Evaluation of the IEEE 802.11p Protocol (100)
    • Packet Delivery Ratio (103)
      • Quantitative Analysis of PDR in Intermediate Traffic (105)
      • Quantitative Analysis of PDR in Semi-sparse Traffic (107)
    • The Mean Transmission Delay (109)
      • Quantitative Analysis of Transmission Delay in Intermediate Traffic (110)
      • Quantitative Analysis of Transmission Delay in Semi-sparse Traffic (111)
  • The Interpretation of Results (112)
  • Summary (114)
• A Network Model for VANETs (116)
  • Motivation (116)
  • System Assumptions (120)
  • The Attachment Mechanism in Highway VANETs (121)
  • Degree Distribution (123)
    • Backward Degree Distribution (124)
    • Forward Degree Distribution (125)
    • Total Degree Distribution (127)
  • Clustering Coefficient (128)
  • Average Length of Shortest Paths (131)
  • Validation (134)
    • The I-80 Highway (135)
    • The A6 and M40 Highways (141)
  • Discussion (143)
    • Non Scale-Free Degree Distributions and Absence of Hub Nodes (144)
    • High Clustering Coefficient (146)
    • Absence of Small-World Property (146)
  • On the Independence of the Vehicles' Velocities (147)
  • On Dynamics of the Vehicles' Velocities (149)
    • The A6 Highway, 8:00 - 8:30 (150)
    • The A6 Highway, 11:30 - 12:00 (153)
    • The M40 Highway, 8:00 - 8:30 (156)
    • The M40 Highway, 11:30 - 12:00 (158)
  • More Examples for highly consistent conditions based on the BHL data set (161)
    • More examples for highly consistent conditions in March 2011, during 16:00 - 17:00 (162)
    • More examples for highly consistent conditions in March 2011, during 17:00 - 18:00 (163)
    • More examples for highly consistent conditions in April 2011, during 16:00 - 17:00 (164)
    • More examples for highly consistent conditions in April 2011, during 17:00 - 18:00 (165)
  • Summary (166)
• Graph-based Performance Analysis (174)
  • The Two-hop Degree Distribution (174)
    • The Backward Two-hop Degree Distribution (175)
    • The Forward Two-hop Degree Distribution (176)
    • The Total Two-hop Degree Distribution (179)
  • The Average Number of Common Neighbours (181)
  • Packet Delivery Ratio (183)
  • Packet Reception Ratio (184)
  • Results (187)
    • Structural Properties of the Communication Graph (187)
      • Structural Properties of the Communication Graph in Intermediate Traffic (188)
      • Structural Properties of the Communication Graph in Semi-sparse Traffic (191)
    • The Quantitative Performance Analysis of the 802.11p Protocol in Broadcast Mode (193)
      • Quantitative Analysis of the Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR) (197)
      • The Quantitative Analysis of Packet Reception Ratio (PRR) (199)
    • Comparative Analysis with Existing Approaches (201)
    • Interpretation of Results (204)
  • Summary (204)
• Performance Enhancement (206)
  • Motivation (206)
  • The Proposed Mechanism (209)
  • Results (212)
    • Average-based Performance Analysis (212)
    • Quantitative Performance Analysis (218)
  • Summary (220)
• Conclusion (222)
• Bibliography (225)