Characteristics of wettedness of naked and clothed subjects at constant average skin temperature

Physiological and sensory responses, particularly paid attention to the skin wettedness under clothing at constant average skin temperature, were observed in two male subjects while they were seated on a balance. The clothing ensemble had an effective insulation of approximately 1 clo. From the analysis of the present experimental data, the following conclusions were found regarding characteristics of wettedness observed by clothed subjects at a constant average skin temperature, 1. Wettedness correlates negatively with the air temperature and correlates positively with the vapor pressure. 2. Evaporative heat loss from the skin surface correlates positively with the air temperature and correlates negatively with the vapor pressure. 3. Wettedness correlates negatively with evaporative heat loss. 4. At a constant average skin temperature, the value of wettedness is variable and both maximum and minimum values exist. The results stated above indicate the same tendency as the results obtained from the experiments using naked subjects. Based on the above conclusions, it is clear that the theoretical locus of equal average skin temperature is not a straight line but is a curved line plotted on the psychrometric chart, totally different and independent of the equal ET*line. The authors are with Graduate School of Engineering Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060 Japan