Investigation of temporal variation of human thermal discomfort in Djibouti
Abstract
Hot weather causes heat stress in dairy humans. Although effects are more severe in hot
climates, dairy cattle in areas with relatively moderate climates also are exposed to periods of
heat stress.
The objective of the study was to determine the thermal comfort or discomfort of people to
the prevailing environmental conditions particularly temperature and relative humidity during
the various seasons of the year at Djibouti in terms of thermal discomfort index (DI). The DI
was calculated from Thom’s formula
The area of study is Djibouti, a small and hot country in the east of Africa. The data for the
calculation have been taken from the readings of airt emperature and relative humidity
throughout a period of 29 years (1985-2014) in the Djibouti Aerodrome station, Randa,
Obock and Ali-Sabieh.
A mass curve method was used for consistency and homogeneity of the data and for missing
data, arithmetic methods was used.
The main objective in this study is to make assessment on stress caused by temperature and
humidity in order to establish the withal of Djibouti’s comfort levels during the various
seasons of the year which can be useful in evaluating human discomfort and apply the index
on a national level to determine which months possess the most extreme values.
Thom’s Table of DI Ranges was used to determine the percentage of the population of
Djibouti suffering from discomfort or otherwise. Times series analysis was done to determine
the daily and seasonal discomfort level of the population.
This study found that less than 50% of the population experienced the sense of discomfort
during January February March April October November and December in the morning time
and more than 50% of in the afternoon. But more than 50% of the population suffered from
discomfort during May June July August and September in the morning time and almost all
the population in the afternoon. The discomfort indices greater than 30 or 32 (indicating
100% of the population feeling discomfort or the condition of medical emergency,
respectively) were not attained in Djibouti.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Description
Thesis
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6020]