Thermal function of a clothing ensemble during work: dependency on inner clothing layer fit

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Abstract
A tight-fitting crewneck undergarment (U) and a loose-fitting shirt (S) were studied as part of a commonly used clothing ensemble (I101=0.22 m2KW−1). Ten clothed male subjects performed standardized packing work ([Vdot]O2= 0.761 min−1) at three climatic conditions, 20°C and V a= 0.45ms−1(0-30min),at 5°Cand V a= 0.39ms−1(30-60min) and at 5°C and V a=l.23ms−1(76-90min). From 60-75 min the subjects rested at 20°C. The physiological and subjective responses varied with the environment from slightly warm to cool. U resulted in warmer responses than S: torso and upper arm skin temperatures were higher at both 5°C and 20°C, evaporation rate was higher at 20°C, mean skin temperature was higher during work at 20°C, sweating tended to begin earlier and skin wettedness to be higher with U than with S. No differences were observed in core temperature, heart rates, and subjective thermal evaluations. It was concluded that a tight-fitting inner layer (U) compared to a loose-fitting one (S) allows for less cooling of the skin in both a cool and a slightly warm environment