Simplified Assessment Method for Population RF Exposure Induced by a 4G Network

This paper presents a simplified method, based on surrogate modeling, to evaluate the day-to-day global population exposure to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) induced by a fourth-generation (4G) network, from both uplink and downlink radio emissions in a typical urban city. The uncertainties of 4G-induced RF-EMF exposure of an entire population are characterized for the first time, taking into account the variability linked to urban propagation environment, information and communication technology usage, and EMF, respectively, from personal wireless devices and Evolved Node B (eNB), as well as uplink throughput. In addition, the study focuses on a sensitivity analysis in order to assess the influence of these parameters on RF-EMF exposure. Globally, results show that the 4G-induced RF-EMF exposure follows a generalized extreme value distribution with an average value of 1.19 × 10⁻⁷ W/kg. Moreover, it is shown that, contrary to what has been observed in the third-generation (3G)-induced RF-EMF exposure, that is, the exposure is dominated by uplink radio emissions, results have highlighted the importance of received power density from eNB to the issue of 4G-induced RF-EMF exposure. In 4G, the uplink exposure from mobiles accounts for only 25% of global exposure, resulting from the high speed of uplink throughput.