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Human body area factors for radiation exchange analysis: standing and walking postures

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Abstract

Effective radiation area factors (f eff) and projected area factors (f p) of unclothed Caucasians’ standing and walking postures used in estimating human radiation exchange with the surrounding environment were determined from a sample of adults in Canada. Several three-dimensional (3D) computer body models were created for standing and walking postures. Only small differences in f eff and f p values for standing posture were found between gender (male or female) and body type (normal- or over-weight). Differences between this study and previous studies were much larger: ≤0.173 in f p and ≤0.101 in f eff. Directionless f p values for walking posture also had only minor differences between genders and positions in a stride. However, the differences of mean directional f p values of the positions dependent on azimuth angles were large enough, ≤0.072, to create important differences in modeled radiation receipt. Differences in f eff values were small: 0.02 between the normal-weight male and female models and up to 0.033 between positions in a stride. Variations of directional f p values depending on solar altitudes for walking posture were narrower than those for standing posture. When both standing and walking postures are considered, the mean f eff value, 0.836, of standing (0.826) and walking (0.846) could be used. However, f p values should be selected carefully because differences between directional and directionless f p values were large enough that they could influence the estimated level of human thermal sensation.

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Abbreviations

A1(Aeff):

Effective radiation area (m2)

A 2 :

Spherical surface area (m2)

A 3DS :

Total body surface area obtained from 3DS Max computer software program (m2)

A D :

Total body surface area (m2)

A Du :

Total body surface area calculated using DuBois and DuBois (1916) formula (m2)

A P :

Projected area (m2)

dA 1 :

A small portion of the human body surface area (m2)

dA 2 :

A small portion of the entire surrounding spherical surface area (m2)

F :

Angle factor

f eff :

Effective radiation area factor (= A eff / A D)

f p :

Projected area factor per unit of effective radiation area (= A p / A eff)

\( f_p^{ * } \) :

Projected area factor per unit of total body surface area \( \left( { = {A_p}/{A_D} = {f_p} \times {f_{{eff}}}} \right) \)

K b :

Direct beam solar radiation on the human body surface (Wm−2)

K d :

Diffuse beam solar radiation from the sky (Wm−2)

K r :

Total reflected solar radiation by objects and ground (Wm−2)

L :

Terrestrial (longwave) radiation on the human body surface (Wm−2)

n 1/4 :

Number of observations over one-quarter of the entire surrounding spherical surface area

n 1/2 :

Number of observations over one-half of the entire surrounding spherical surface area

R :

Incoming solar radiation on the human body surface (Wm−2)

r :

A distance between the human body surface and a surrounding spherical surface area (m)

T a :

Air temperature (°C)

T mrt :

Mean radiant temperature (°C)

α :

Azimuth angle (°)

β :

Altitude (elevation) angle (°)

β 1 :

An incident angle between dA 1 and central point line of dA 1 and dA 2 (°)

β 2 :

An incident angle between dA 2 and central point line of dA 1 and dA 2 (°)

ψ sky :

Sky view factor (1.0 = 100%)

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted under University of Victoria ethics approval, Protocol Number: 06-172. We appreciate Health Canada providing the CCHS data and the District of Saanich, Saanich Commonwealth Place for allowing us to collect human body data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Climate Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3060, Stn CSC Victoria, BC, V8W 3R4, Canada

    Sookuk Park & Stanton E. Tuller

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  1. Sookuk Park
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  2. Stanton E. Tuller
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Correspondence to Sookuk Park.

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Park, S., Tuller, S.E. Human body area factors for radiation exchange analysis: standing and walking postures. Int J Biometeorol 55, 695–709 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-010-0385-2

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