Neural Network for Predicting Thermal Conductivity of Knit Materials

Abstract

The major aim of comfort research is to find the comfort temperature for an individual or group. This subjective property can be evaluated by means of thermal conductivity as a physical characteristic of fabric. This phenomenon depends on many fabric parameters and it is difficult to study the effect of ones without changing the others. In addition, the non-linear relationship of fabric parameters and thermal conductivity handicap mathematical modelling. So a neural network approach was used to predict the thermal conductivity of knitting structure as a function of porosity, air permeability, weight and fiber conductivity. Data on thermal conductivity are measured by experiments carried out on jersey knitted structure.