Abstract
In order to better understand the thermomechanical behavior of the skin and its direct environment, we present an experimental study using infrared thermography. This experimental study aims to highlight quantitatively some effects of blood flow on the heat diffusion. The originality of this research is to change the blood flow by using effects of gravity and to quantify the temperature changes. The experimental step consists to put a cylindrical steel bar cooled or warmed on the skin of a human forearm and to measure the change of the temperature using an infrared camera. Measures have been recorded for different positions of the forearm. We noted very clearly the influence of blood circulation in the veins on the diffusion of the temperature. The return to thermal balance is faster when the arm is in a horizontal position. More over, a comparative study of experimental cooling and warming showed a symmetrical thermal behavior for the skin under this type of thermal solicitations. This work provided to build a database which can be used for the validation of predictive thermal models of human skin.