Effect of Sweating on Insulation of Footwear

The study aimed to find out the influence of sweating on footwear insulation with a thermal foot model. Simultaneously, the influence of applied weight (35 kg), sock, and steel toe cap were studied. Water to 3 sweat glands was supplied with a pump at the rate of 10 g/hr in total. Four models of boots with steel toe caps were tested. The same models were manufactured also without steel toe. Sweating reduced footwear insulation 19–25% (30–37% in toes). During static conditions, only a minimal amount of sweat evaporated from boots. Weight affected sole insulation: Reduction depended on compressibility of sole material. The influence of steel toe varied with insulation. The method of thermal foot model appears to be a practical tool for footwear evaluation.     

A Comparison of Two Methods of Determining Thermal Properties of Footwear

The present European Standard for footwear testing (Standard No. EN 344:1992; European Committee for Standardization [CEN], 1992) classifies footwear thermally by a temperature drop inside the footwear during 30 min at defined conditions. Today, other methods for footwear thermal testing are also available. The aim of this study was to compare EN 344:1992 with a thermal foot method. Six boots were tested according to both methods. Additional tests with modified standard tests were also carried out. The methods ranked the footwear in a similar way. However, the test according to standard EN 344:1992 is a pass-or-fail test, whereas data that is gained from the thermal foot method gives more information and allows further use in research and product development. A change of the present standard method is suggested.     

The use of footwear insulation values measured on a thermal foot model.

The use of physiological data from human tests in modelling should consider background data, such as activity, environmental factors and clothing insulation on the whole body. The present paper focuses on local thermal comfort of feet with special attention on the effects of physical changes of footwear thermal properties. An alternative test method is available for footwear thermal testing besides the standard method. The possibility to use insulation values acquired on a thermal foot model in practice is shown here. The paper describes the correlation between cold and pain sensations, and foot skin temperatures of the subjects and relates these to insulation measured on a thermal foot model. Recommendations are made for footwear choice according to environmental temperature.     

鞋类保暖性能研究

本文采用鞋类保暖性能的测试方法,测定不同帮面材料、不同鞋底材料对鞋类保暖性能的影响,对于不同的测试对象探索相同环境下的测试结果,从而为企业生产提供一定的科学指导。     

外墙保温材料在火灾中的燃烧现象小尺寸实验研究

利用外墙保温材料的小尺寸燃烧实验来研究外墙保温材料在火灾过程中的燃烧特性,分析总结外墙保温材料在火灾过程中的燃烧现象.建立外墙保温材料火灾实验模型,对外墙保温材料火灾实验的实验方法以及数据测定方式进行了介绍.采用不同阻燃性质的保温材料,研究阻燃成分阻止竖向燃烧的效果.观察不同的保温材料在燃烧过程中的点燃性能.根据材料的阻燃性能、点火位置、固定方式的不同,总结燃烧痕迹的变化规律.分析非阻燃材料在燃烧的过程中的熔滴生成,发现产生的熔滴对未燃保温材料的点燃现象.观察不同的保温材料在燃烧过程中的烟气生成及烟气层的形成.通过小尺寸火灾试验的方法来研究建筑外墙保温材料火灾的特性,提出使用阻燃型外墙保温材料的必要性.     

表面隔油膜对轻质固体灭火剂隔热性能的影响

通过对自行研制的轻质固体灭火剂隔热性能的测试 ,研究了表面隔油膜对隔热性能的影响。发现表面膜的存在在一定程度上降低了灭火剂的隔热性能 ,但一定厚度的灭火剂的隔热性能能满足隔热灭火的需要     

Investigation and identification of factors affecting migrating peasant workers’ usage of safety footwear in the Chinese construction industry

A sample of 300 migrating peasant workers from 15 Chinese building construction sites completed a demographic questionnaire to investigate the usage of safety footwear. The survey form was constructed based on the theory of planned behaviour, and a total of 12 questions focusing on the workers’ past experience, attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were included in the survey. It was found that 92% of the participants did not wear safety footwear while working on construction sites, although more than 91% of them believed that safety footwear would protect the foot from injury; none of the participants had been provided free safety footwear by their employer. Regression analysis shows that employers’ attitude is the most important factor affecting their usage of safety footwear, ‘providing free safety footwear’ and ‘comfortability of the safety footwear’ ranking second and third respectively.     

Prediction of Duration Limited Exposure for Participants Wearing Chemical Protective Clothing in the Cold

The suitability of the IREQ (insulation required) index for predicting the thermal responses of 6 participants wearing chemical protective clothing was tested during exercise at -20 and -25 °C. IREQ was used to calculate duration limited exposure (DLE). Measured DLE correlated (r= .899, p < .001) with the predicted DLE. In exposures exceeding 40 min, however, the predicted DLE tended to be 10-20 min too short compared to the measured one. During short exposures the prediction was 5-20 min too long. The results show that IREQ overestimated the cold strain in participants wearing chemical protective clothing during cold exposures longer than 40 min. Nevertheless, predicted DLE never exceeded measured times and thus the prediction was always safe from the occupational point of view.     

Foot model for tracking temperature of safety boot insoles: application to different insole materials in firefighter boots

This research is based on the development of a human foot model to study the temperature conditions of a foot bottom surface under extreme external conditions. This foot model is made by combining different manufacturing techniques to enable the simulation of bones and tissues, allowing the placement of sensors on its surface to track the temperature values of different points inside a shoe. These sensors let researchers capture valuable data during a defined period of time, making it possible to compare the features of different safety boots, socks or soles, among others. In this case, it has been applied to compare different plantar insole materials, placed into safety boots on a high-temperature surface.     

常用高、低温防护服着装舒适性研究

防护服装的全面评价通常涉及安全性、工效学特性等多个方面。在常用高、低温防护服隔热性能研究基础上,对服装的舒适性进行了初步研究,以期为高低温防护服的选用和设计改进等提供依据。本研究应用热平板仪、人工气候室等研究设备以及真人着装实验,对高低温作业典型工种常用的耐高温防护服和低温防护服的舒适性能进行了研究。研究结果显示,不同类型高、低温防护服的透气性、透湿性、着装压力、肢体活动角度等均表现出一定差异,防护服的面料、结构和工艺等均影响到其整体舒适性,并提出了相应的改善建议。     

Parallel and Serial Methods of Calculating Thermal Insulation in European Manikin Standards

Abstract

Standard No. EN 15831:2004 provides 2 methods of calculating insulation: parallel and serial. The parallel method is similar to the global one defined in Standard No. ISO 9920:2007. Standards No. EN 342:2004, EN 14058:2004 and EN 13537:2002 refer to the methods defined in Standard No. EN ISO 15831:2004 for testing cold protective clothing or equipment. However, it is necessary to consider several issues, e.g., referring to measuring human subjects, when using the serial method. With one zone, there is no serial-parallel issue as the results are the same, while more zones increase the difference in insulation value between the methods. If insulation is evenly distributed, differences between the serial and parallel method are relatively small and proportional. However, with more insulation layers overlapping in heavy cold protective ensembles, the serial method produces higher insulation values than the parallel one and human studies. Therefore, the parallel method is recommended for standard testing.     

常用高、低温防护服隔热性能研究

为评价常用类型高、低温防护服的防护性能,本研究应用热平板仪、人工气候室和暖体假人等研究设备,对高低温作业典型工种常用的耐高温防护服和低温防护服的隔热性能进行了研究。研究结果显示,不同类型高、低温防护服的服装面料、服装整体的隔热性表现出一定差异,模拟环境下的着装生理学测试结果也存在不同,防护服的面料、结构和工艺等均影响到其整体隔热性能。防护服装的全面评价通常涉及安全性、工效学特性等多个方面,有必要从服装的舒适性、工效学特性等方面进一步研究,并开展大规模的现场人体穿着实验,从而为高低温防护服的选用和设计改进等提供依据。     

气凝胶消防服隔热层研制的可行性分析

为了减少火焰环境对消防员的伤害,基于消防服隔热层对消防员生命安全保障的重要性,运用对比描述的方法对现有隔热层进行了分析比较,探究了其优缺点和性能,提出了轻质且具有优异隔热性能是隔热层的发展趋势,通过对气凝胶性能的理论分析和服用性能分析,研究了利用气凝胶材料研制消防服的隔热层,结果表明气凝胶在服装领域应用已经比较广泛,在消防服领域中也已有初步应用,但用气凝胶研制消防服隔热层仍存在着一定的挑战。     

防火型家用救生舱舱体热环境与结构优化研究

为优化防火型家用救生舱舱体隔热设计,提出了适用于火灾工况的多重绝热结构设计方法,采用数值模拟和实验的方法研究了防火型家用救生舱舱体的温度分布,分析了12种不同围护结构形式下舱体的绝热保温性能,获得多重绝热结构的最优厚度及绝热材料的最优配比。研究成果可为防火型家用救生舱的隔热设计提供一定的理论支撑和工程设计参考。     

Calculation of Clothing Insulation by Serial and Parallel Methods: Effects on Clothing Choice by IREQ and Thermal Responses in the Cold

Cold protective clothing was studied in 2 European Union projects. The objectives were (a) to examine different insulation calculation methods as measured on a manikin (serial or parallel), for the prediction of cold stress (IREQ); (b) to consider the effects of cold protective clothing on metabolic rate; (c) to evaluate the movement and wind correction of clothing insulation values.

Tests were carried out on 8 subjects. The results showed the possibility of incorporating the effect of increases in metabolic rate values due to thick cold protective clothing into the IREQ model. Using the higher thermal insulation value from the serial method in the IREQ prediction, would lead to unacceptable cooling of the users. Thus, only the parallel insulation calculation method in EN 342:2004 should be used. The wind and motion correction equation (No. 2) gave realistic values for total resultant insulation; dynamic testing according to EN 342:2004 may be omitted.     

Slip initiation in alternative and slip-resistant footwear

Slips occur as a result of failure of normal locomotion. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of alternative footwear (Crocs?, flip-flops) and an industry standard low-top slip-resistant shoe (SRS) under multiple gait trials (normal dry, unexpected slip, alert slip and expected slip) on lower extremity joint kinematics, kinetics and muscle activity. Eighteen healthy male participants (age: 22.28?±?2.2 years; height: 177.66?±?6.9?cm; mass: 79.27?±?7.6?kg) completed the study. Kinematic, kinetic and muscle activity variables were analyzed using a 3(footwear)?×?4(gait trials) repeated-measures analysis of variance at p?=?0.05. Greater plantar flexion angles, lower ground reaction forces and greater muscle activity were seen on slip trials with the alternative footwear. During slip events, SRS closely resembled normal dry biomechanics, suggesting it to be a safer footwear choice compared with alternative footwear.     

热采井套损机理及套管强度优化设计

我国稠油资源丰富,然而稠油热采井套管损坏现象普遍存在,且有越来越严重的趋势,提高热采井套管寿命是稠油开采过程中迫切需要解决的问题。分析了热采井套管损坏主要原因,认为高温引起的强度变化、油层出砂亏空、固井质量差、隔热措施不利及套管本身材质问题都有可能引起热采井套管损坏。采用有限元分析软件ANSYS计算了不同隔热措施、不同注汽温度、不同注汽压力、不同套管材料及壁厚条件下套管应力分布规律。计算结果表明,为减少稠油热采井套管损坏,采用隔热措施较好的油管可以明显降低套管上的等效应力,同时在套管柱设计过程中应优选低弹性模量、厚壁套管。提出了VonMises等效应力对比高温屈服强度的校核新方法,为稠油热采井套管强度设计提供依据。     

Calculation of clothing insulation by serial and parallel methods: effects on clothing choice by IREQ and thermal responses in the cold.

Cold protective clothing was studied in 2 European Union projects. The objectives were (a) to examine different insulation calculation methods as measured on a manikin (serial or parallel), for the prediction of cold stress (IREQ); (b) to consider the effects of cold protective clothing on metabolic rate; (c) to evaluate the movement and wind correction of clothing insulation values. Tests were carried out on 8 subjects. The results showed the possibility of incorporating the effect of increases in metabolic rate values due to thick cold protective clothing into the IREQ model. Using the higher thermal insulation value from the serial method in the IREQ prediction, would lead to unacceptable cooling of the users. Thus, only the parallel insulation calculation method in EN 342:2004 should be used. The wind and motion correction equation (No. 2) gave realistic values for total resultant insulation; dynamic testing according to EN 342:2004 may be omitted.     

Performance of slippery and slip-resistant footwear in different wintry weather conditions measured in situ

In Finland about 70,000 people are annually injured in pedestrian and bicycle falling accidents occurred at the street, walkways and courtyards. Around 2/3 of these occur when the walking surface is covered by ice or snow. In general, slipping is caused by both environmental and human factors. The primary environmental factor behind slipping accidents is slip resistance characteristics of underfoot surface. Especially in winter slipping accidents are mainly due to inadequate friction between footwear and underfoot surfaces. Portable devices measuring friction, i.e. slipmeters, may be used for assessing slipperiness on different walking surfaces in situ. During winter seasons 2003 and 2004 a study was performed to evaluate the usability of portable slip simulator for measuring slipperiness of walkways on varying weather conditions and to assess slip resistance of different footwear. The Portable Slip Simulator proved to be applicable for measuring in situ the slipperiness of wintry walking surfaces and evaluating quality of winter maintenance. Significant differences in traction between footwear were found especially in normal Finnish climate winter days when friction provided by slip-resistant footwear was multifold compared to a poorer one. On very slippery icy surfaces no footwear provided enough grip and, therefore, in such conditions anti-slip devices should be used.     

玻化微珠保温砂浆在隧道防火设计中的应用研究

针对当前多发的隧道火灾,探讨玻化微珠保温砂浆在隧道防火设计中的可行性。通过有限元计算分析,对设置玻化微珠保温砂浆隔热层的隧道衬砌结构防火性能进行研究,同时对不同火灾规模下隧道温度场的影响进行了分析。研究结果表明玻化微珠保温砂浆可以很好地阻止热量的入侵,初步验证了其在隧道防火应用的可行性,可为后续隧道防火设计及相关研究提供参考。