Human Comfort

Evaluating Comfort
and Related Physical
Properties of Textiles
28 - 30° C
 Human Comfort
Comfort is freedom from pain, freedom
from discomfort. It is a neutral state 1
Comfort is a pleasant state of physiological,
psychological and physical harmony
between a human being and the
environment2

1
Hatch, K.L. (1993). Textile science. Minneapolis, MN: West
Publishing Co., p. 26.
2
Slater, K. (1985). Human comfort. Springfield, IL: Charles
C. Thomas Publisher, p. 4.
 What Comfort really is:
Relative
Subjective

Psychological Thermal-
Physiological Sensorial-
Mobile-
 Human Comfort
Psychological Comfort implies that
individuals need specific garments, fabrics,
colors and design features to help them feel
confident and at ease within the context of
the various roles they assume.
Factors:
 Self-Image
 Relationship with others: Trust, love and
respect
 Need of privacy: Solitude, silence, anonymity
 Human Comfort
Physiological Comfort refers to
maintenance of thermal balance: The proper
relationship between body heat production
and loss.
Factors:
 Cardiovascular system
 Skeleto-muscular system
 Central nervous system
 Pulmonary system
 Digestive system
 Thermoregulatory mechanism
 Human Comfort
Physical Aspects of Comfort refer to
different sensations and feelings of
discomfort and/or pain, which influence the
two types of comfort.
Factors:
 Touch
 Sight
 Hearing
 Taste
 Smell
 Comfort-Related Physical
Properties of Textiles
Thermo-physiological Comfort
 Thermal resistance
 Water vapor permeability (breathability)
 Wickability
 Sorption of water
 Water resistance, repellency and proofness
 Drying rate
Sensorial (Neuro-physiological) Comfort
 Prickliness, itchiness, inflammation
 Roughness
 Thermal character (warm/cool feeling)
 Electrostatic propensity
Body-Movement Comfort
 Stretch
 Weight
 Pressure/compression
 Physical Characteristics of Textile
Materials Influencing Thermal Comfort
Fabric Mass
Fabric Thickness
Fiber, Yarn, and Fabric Structures
Porosity is the ratio of air space to the total
volume of the fabric, expressed as a
percentage
Cover Factor is defined as the opacity or
hiding power in textiles
The Physics of Human Comfort

Body metabolism
Heat transfer
Evaporation
 Comfort Model
Ta
Tsk, sk Icl a
Tcl
cl
hFC
ht hF hFR
HB
hFK
htC, htR,
htK, htE

Ia, Ta, a'

Body Thermal Balance

H B  M W

S  H B   ht  hF   0

  h    I cl , I a , f cl 
Body Thermal Balance

ht  E  R  C  K

E  ES  ER

C  CS  C R

R  k r  Ta  Tw 

T
K
 x   x   x 
A          
 k 1  k  2  k n 
 Heat Transfer
Heat Transfer refers to the transfer of heat
energy from one environment to another.
Heat transfer occurs whenever a
temperature difference (T) exists between
two environments; heat moves from the
warmer surface or area to the cooler surface
or area.
The rate at which heat is transferred depends
on T as well as any resistance imposed
between the two environments.
 Heat Transfer
Modes of Heat Transfer
 Conduction: is the transfer of heat by physical
contact, either within a body or between two
touching bodies
 Convection: is heat transfer via a moving air
mass within space
 Radiation: involves heat transfer through space
in the form of electromagnetic energy
 Units. Several terms are used to quantify heat transfer:
 Thermal transmittance (U): is the rate of heat transfer
per unit area, U = W/m2K°.
 Thermal conductance ©: is defined by the same
formula, C = W/m2K°
 Thermal resistance (r): the rate of flow of heat
through a fabric under standard conditions. The r-
value is the inverse of thermal transmittance (r =
1/U).
 A fabric has a thermal resistance of one “tog” when a
temperature difference between two surfaces of 0.1°C
produces a heat flow equal to 1 W/m2.
 A “clo” is the resistance necessary to keep a resting
person (producing heat at a rate of 58 W/m2)
comfortable at 21°C and at an air movement rate of
0.1 m/s.
 1 clo = 1.55 togs; 1 clo = 0.1548r; 1 clo = U/0.1548
 Heat Transfer

Effect of Fabric Properties on Heat Transfer

 Fiber type and structure
 Yarn type and structure
 Fabric type and structure
 Finishes applied
 Heat Transfer
Standard Test Methods
 CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 70.1 – 94, Thermal
insulation performance of textile materials
 ASTM D 1518 – 85, Thermal transmittance of
textile materials
 Thermal Insulation
cold plate
Procedure 1
specimen
hot plate

cold plate
Procedure 2 specimen
hot plate
cold plate
specimen
hot plate Guarded Hot Plate
specimen
cold plate
 Thermal Character
 Thermal absorptivity (b) is a transient-state parameter
that describes the thermal contact properties of a
textile material (warm-cool feeling) at the beginning
(first two seconds) of its contact with human skin.

Where: b = (c)1/2 [Ws1/2/m2K]

 = thermal conductivity
c = thermal capacity

The lower the value of (b), the warmer the feeling

 Alambeta:
measurement of
transient and
steady-state
thermo-physical
properties
 Moisture Transfer
 It refers to the transfer of liquid water or vapor.
The transfer of moisture generally is from the
wetter environment to the drier environment until
equilibrium is reached. Moisture is produced by
the body in the form of perspiration (insensible
and sensible perspirations).
 Types of Moisture Transfer
 Diffusion
 Sorption
 Wicking
 Evaporation
OUTER Water-Proof Fabric

Liquid water

water vapour

Breathable Fabric

INNER
 Moisture Transfer
Factors Affecting Moisture Transfer
 Fiber type and structure
 Yarn type and structure
 Fabric type and structure
 Finishes applied
 Moisture Transfer
 Standard Test Methods
 CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 49 – 99, Resistance of
materials to water vapour diffusion
 ASTM F1868-98, Thermal and evaporative
resistance of clothing materials using a sweating
hot plate
 ISO 11092: 1993 (E), Measurement of thermal and
water-vapour resistance under steady-state
conditions (sweating guarded-hotplate test)
 ASTM E 96, Water vapor transmission of materials
 ASTM D 4772, Standard test method for surface
water absorption of terry fabrics (water flow test
method)
 AATCC Method 79, Absorbency of bleached
textiles
 WATER
VAPOUR
DIFFUSION
Sweating Guarded Hot Plate
Water Resistance and Repellency
Water Resistance: a physical barrier to
water penetration
Water Repellent: does not allow water
penetration in one side but it allows
moisture transfer from body
Water-proof: does not allow any
penetration of water from either side to the
other.
Shower-proof, Rain-proof
 Hydrophilic

AIR
water drop

Cotton (attractive surface)

Hydrophobic

AIR
water drop

Olefin (repulsive surface)

 Water Resistance and Repellency

Factors Affecting Water Resistance and

Repellency
 Fiber type and structure
 Yarn type and structure
 Fabric type and structure
 Finishes applied
Water Resistance and Repellency
 Standard Test Methods
 AATCC Method 21, Water repellency: Static
absorption test
 AATCC Method 22, Water repellency: Spray test
 AATCC Method 35, Water resistance: rain test
 AATCC Method 42, Water resistance: Impact
penetration test
 AATCC Method 70, Water repellency: Tumble jar
dynamic absorption test
 AATCC Method 127: Water resistance: Hydrostatic
pressure test
Impact penetration Rain tester Hydrostatic
tester pressure tester
 Air Permeability
It is the degree to which the material is
penetrable by air. It is also the rate of air
flow through a fabric when there is a
different air pressure on either surface of
the fabric.
 Air Permeability
Factors Affecting Air Permeability
 Fiber type and structure
 Yarn type and structure
 Fabric type and structure
 Finishes applied
Standard Test Methods
 CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 36 – M89, Air
permeability
 ASTM D – 737, Air permeability of textile
fabrics