Human Thermal Environments: The Effects of Hot, Moderate, and Cold Environments on Human Health, Comfort and Performance, Second Edition

Front Cover
CRC Press, Mar 22, 2007 - Technology & Engineering - 560 pages
Our responses to our thermal environment have a considerable effect on our performance and behavior, not least in the realm of work. There has been considerable scientific investigation of these responses and formal methods have been developed for environmental evaluation and design. In recent years these have been developed to the extent that detailed national and international standards of practice have now become feasible.

This new edition of Ken Parson's definitive text brings us back up to date. He covers hot, moderate and cold environments, and defines these in terms of six basic parameters: air temperature, radiate temperature, humidity, air velocity, clothing worn, and the person's activity. There is a focus on the principles and practice of human response, which incorporates psychology, physiology and environmental physics with applied ergonomics. Water requirements, computer modeling and computer-aided design are brought in, as are current standards. Special populations, such as the aged or disabled and specialist environments such as those found in vehicles are also considered.
This book continues to be the standard text for the design of environments for humans to live and work safely, comfortably and effectively, and for the design of materials which help the same people cope with their environments.
 

Contents

1 Human thermal environments
1
2 Human thermal physiology and thermoregulation
29
3 Psychological responses
47
4 Dehydration and water requirements
69
5 Measurement methods and assessment techniques
91
6 Metabolic heat production
131
7 The thermal properties of clothing
157
8 Thermal comfort
196
10 Heat stress
258
11 Cold stress
295
12 Interference with activities performance and productivity
327
13 Human skin contact with hot moderate and cold surfaces
354
14 International Standards
394
15 Thermal models and computer aided design
445
Appendix Fundamentals of heat transfer
487
References
492

9 Thermal comfort for special populations special environments and adaptive modelling
230
Index
521

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