Patterning of Objective and Subjective Responses to Heat Protective Clothing Systems Part 2 Subjective Measurements of Comfort

Abstract

The criteria for selection and use of protective clothing, particularly with respect to protection from high radiant heat, are both objective and subjective. Part 2 of this study examines subjective responses to clothing. Five fabrics commonly used in protective workwear were made into overalls of identical design and evaluated by adult males in a simulated work environment. Subjective evaluations of humidity sensation in the leg microclimate at set times during the exercise/rest protocol did not differ significantly with respect to the five overalls and differed significantly among subjects only after the full exercise period had elapsed. High positive correlations were found between subjective humidity sensations and objective measurements. Subjective thermal sensations taken at three different body regions did not enable discrimination among overalls. Subjects tended to rank garments similarly. Subjective thermal sensations did not pattern objective thermal data; thus when measuring two parameters (humidity and thermal responses) subjectively and objectively, discrimination among overalls was not possible.

Thermal Storage/Release, Durability, and Temperature Sensing Properties of Thermostatic Fabrics Treated with Octadecane-Containing Microcapsules

“…The core of the body, or the abdominal area, and the head normally maintain an average skin temperature higher than that associated with other areas of the body. Generally, the overall average comfortable skin temperature is 33.3'C, and if this cannot be maintained, a person begins to feel uncomfortable [7].…”

Conceptual design framework as a model for wheelchair users’ sportswear comfort

“…In the result, the needs of fashion factor were related to the comfort factor even though these researchers did not define that specific comfort dimension (Mitchka et al 2009). Laing and Ingham (1985) evaluated a heat protective clothing system through the physical and psychological determinants of comfort. Physical determinants included comfort in relation to fabric contact with the skin, comfort influenced by level of work related to a garment system, and the effects dependent on different body locations.…”

Thermal Properties and Physiological Responses of Vapor-Permeable Water-Repellent Fabrics Treated with Microcapsule-Containing PCMs

“…As a kind of phase change material (PCM), octadecane can absorb, store, and release large amounts of latent heat, given a defined phase-dependent temperature [4]. Its melting point is about 28.2°C, and its thermal activity can work effectively below the overall average of com-fortable skin temperature (33.3°C) [8]. Applied to textiles, PCMs are enclosed in protective wrappings or microcapsules with diameters of a few microns.…”