Thermal resistance of multi-layer fabrics considering layer order

The impact of number and order of layers in various sets of multi-layer fabrics has been investigated. Four groups of polyester fabrics with different thicknesses and thermal resistance have been analysed. Moreover, the thermal resistance of various two-, three- and four-layer combinations are evaluated. Results reveal that by increasing the number of layers in a multi-layer set, besides the effect of each layer’s thermal resistance, the formation of air layers between constituent fabric layers, results in a considerable growth in the thermal resistance. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the order of layers in a specified combination of fabrics, influences the thermal resistance of the multi-layer samples. Statistical analysis of results confirms the significant influence of the number and order of layers on the thermal resistance characteristic of multi-layer fabrics.