Thermal-humidity response and prediction model of sweating rate for plateau natives at high-altitudes

Plateau natives experience low pressure, aridity, and intense radiation, which can disrupt the skin barrier, leading to unique skin structures over time. This study investigated the skin sensible sweating patterns and psychological responses of plateau natives through a high-altitude indoor experiment involving 16 Xizang native subjects. It involved six temperature-humidity conditions, recording thermal and humidity sensations, and measuring environmental and physiological parameters. The results show that sweat rate patterns of plateau natives and plains natives were similar, but the local sweat rate of plateau natives is more influenced by humidity changes in specific parts of skin, particularly the forehead, due to their unique skin structure shaped by prolonged exposure to the plateau environment. Based on subjective voting, the thermal-humidity response characteristics of plateau natives was obtained. The maximum degree of dryness in various body parts of plateau natives was less than 0.5 (dryness level from 0 similar to 10), lower than plateau sojourner. This shows that plateau natives have better adaptability to dryness. In addition, this study developed a predictive model for the sensible sweat rate of plateau natives, with an error range reduced by approximately 50 % compared to traditional models. When applying thermal comfort models to predict the indoor temperature and humidity range for residential buildings of plateau natives, integrating the findings of this study to predict skin sweat rate and heat dissipation can more effectively meet the thermal and humidity needs of the Xizang natives.