Black Versus Gray T-Shirts: Comparison of Spectrophotometric and Other Biophysical Properties of Physical Fitness Uniforms and Modeled Heat Strain and Thermal Comfort
Abstract
This work modeled and compared the heat strain and discomfort differences between black and gray t-shirts. Biophysical properties were measured for 5 ensembles using a sweating thermal manikin. These results showed little differences existed across each of the ensembles, where at 0.4 m/s the ranges were between 0.88 0.92 clo and the evaporative potential (im/clo) ranged from 0.51 0.54. Spectrophotometric measures differed across the ensembles, where reflection () 0.24 0.49, absorption () 0.5 0.75, and transmission () 0.01 0.04. Predictive modeling showed that heat strain responses were similar for all of the ensembles. While overall the wicking gray shirt had generally better and the wicking black shirt had least favorable values; the differences in impositions to the human are relatively negligible. Similar to the heat strain predictions, modeling for thermal sensation (discomfort) showed very little difference between each of the clothing ensembles. Results support the interest of the Army for purchasing and implementing the replacement of the former gray physical fitness t-shirt with a new black physical fitness t-shirt.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1016232
Entities
People
- Adam W Potter
- Anthony J. Karis
- Julio A. Gonzalez
- Larry G. Berglund
- Laurie A. Blanchard
- William R. Santee
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine