Selection of Clothing for a Cold Environment by Predicting Thermophysiological Comfort Limits

Abstract

Results are presented from a study on the prediction of the insulation abilities of outerwear clothing for cold protection from the point of view of the thermophysiological comfort of the wearer. The Required Clothing Insulation (IREQ) index is used to simulate the abilities of 14 assemblies of layers designed for the production of winter jackets to protect the body in different cold environments. The calculations allow to assess the limits of applicability of the garments in terms of the thermophysiological comfort assured, the activities performed and the weather conditions. Discussions are presented on the correspondence between ISO11079:2007 and the online JavaScript code for calculation of IREQ based on it. The results predicted and their analysis have a practical use, as they allow to estimate the cold protection effectiveness of the textile layers used in an assembly at the design stage, thusgiving room for necessary changes depending on the conditions of its use.