Analysis on Japanese Traditional Carpet “Yuton” from a View Point of Modern Engineering Method

Abstract

“Yuton” is one of Japanese traditional goods and it has been used as a elegant and excellent carpet during summer season because men and children feel comfortable in a Japanese room in which the “Yuton” is spreaded all over the room even at very hot summer day. This article is the result of the analysis on it that obtained by modern instrumental analysis, such as SEM, heat conduction measurement and infrared thermography. The “Yuton” is made by accumulating Japanese paper (“Washi”). The surface was dense and smooth. The coarse and the entangled structure of the fiber was observed in the lower part which contacts Japanese “Tatami” directly. The heat conduction value was 0.11W・m⁻¹・K⁻¹ and it was lower than other materials such as alminium, glass and acrylic plates. The results were reasonable because the “Yuton” is made by paper and the structure is that of typical keeping warmth materials. However, the heat scattering rate of various materials placing the palm of the hand on the infrared thermography were measured and the rate of the “Yuton” was smaller than the aluminium plate but larger than the glass and acrylic plates. The oil and water mixture from the palm was considered to move into from the smooth surface into the inner entangled site and evaporate from the surface of the fine fibers to remove the heat from the “Yuton”.