Assessing the outdoor thermal comfort conditions of exercising people in the semi-arid region of India

The present study investigated the thermal perceptions of people exercising outdoor during the late summer and monsoon season in the hot semi-arid region of India. The field surveys were conducted in parallel with onsite monitoring of microclimate parameters. Thermal comfort indices-Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), Physiological equivalent temperature (PET), and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) were applied to explore the outdoor thermal comfort conditions. The neutral temperature range of people exercising was found to be 23.8-28.1 degrees C in WBGT,26-36.4 degrees C for PET, and 27.7-35.7 degrees C in UTCI. It was observed that with a unit change in Mean thermal sensation votes, there was an approximately 4 degrees C increase in dry bulb temperature; wind speed increased by 1.24 m/s; mean radiant temperature was reported to rise by 25 degrees C. Calibration of thermal stress categories of applied indices demonstrated that all the training should be stopped when WBGT >= 40.8 degrees C, PET >= 67.3 degrees C, and UTCI >= 59.2 degrees C. In pleasant weather conditions, the median value of T-a, RH, W-s, T-g, T-mrt, WBGT, PET, UTCI were 29 degrees C,67.2%,0.9m/s,29.2 degrees C,27.4 degrees C,25.6 degrees C,28.1 degrees C,30.3 degrees C respectively. The findings could be helpful in developing the sports stadium or places dedicated to exercise and preparing schedules of the sports events in the arid regions to avoid overexposure in the hot thermal environment.