1 anthropometry

ANTHROPOMETRIC
Basis of Architectural Design

Introduction
• The idea that the physical size of the
person is somehow related to the ability to
function in the world is so old that it is
surprising how often the concept is
neglected in everyday thought and design.

Introduction
• Nevertheless many studies have
demonstrated the reductions in
performance that can occur if working
environments are not matched to the
individuals’ body sizes.

Anthropometry
• Derived from the two Greek word anthropo(s),
human and metricos of or pertaining to
measurement.
• The ergonomist (a person that studies
ergonomics, from the Greek: ergon - work;
nomos – natural laws) therefore, uses
anthropomteric data to ensure, quite literally,
that the machine or the environment fits the
person.

Anthropometry
• Whenever the human operator has to interact
with the environment it is important to have
details of the dimensions of the appropriate
body part.
• So overall stature is an important determinant
of, for example, room size, door height or
cockpit dimensions.

Kinds of Anthropometry:
• Structural Anthropometry (often called as
Static Anthropometry) – deals with simple
dimensions of the stationary human being.
e.g. Weight, stature and the lengths, breadths,
depths and circumferences of particular body
structures.

Kinds of Anthropometry:
• Functional Anthropometry (Dynamic
Anthropometry) – deals with compound
measurements of the moving human being.
e.g. Reach and the angular ranges of various
joints.

Variability in Body Shapes and sizes
• Even to the least observant person one thing
must be abundantly clear about body
dimensions – there is wide variation between
members of a population.
• With such variability it should be readily
apparent that anthropometric data need to be
used very carefully if they are to be of value.

• Just how much larger or smaller than average a
particular dimension depends on the
importance and function of the feature being
designed.

e.g. (1) A cockpit joystick is useless if it is
placed outside the user’s reach and so the
reach dimension in this case would need to be
related to the reach of the smallest member of a
particular user population.

e.g. (2) In military example, an escape hatch in a
submarine would need to be larger enough to
allow all 100% of the users through (with their
clothes) in an emergency.

e.g. (3) As long as adjustable chairs are available
a desk height does not need to be large enough
to accommodate all user’s heights and so could
possibly be designed to accommodate, say, 90
to 95%.

Sources of Anthropometric Variability
• The wide distribution of body dimensions and
shapes which maybe encountered in a
population can often be due to slight genetic
differences.

• However, other, more readily observable
variables can affect body dimensions and their
variability and these include: AGE, SEX,
CULTURE, OCCUPATION, and HISTORICAL
TRENDS

AGE
• The change in body dimensions from birth to
maturity is well known and, indeed, the
increases occur consistently although
sometimes irregularly.

AGE
• For height, as for most other body lengths, full
growth is attained for all practical purposes by
the age of 20 in males and 17 in females.

AGE
• Some “shrinkage” of older people has also
been noted, which is mainly due to biological
changes that take place as a part of the normal
ageing process – flattening of discs between
the vertebrae, general thinning of the weight-
bearing cartilages, and so on.

SEX
• With the increasing observance of sexual equality
in the workplace, designing for differences in body
dimensions between sexes will become an
important aspect of ergonomist’s task.
• In this respect, males are generally larger than
females for most body dimensions, and the extent
of the difference varies from one dimension to
another.

SEX
• Women, however, are larger than men in the
four dimensions of chest depth, hip breadth, hip
circumference and thigh circumference.

CULTURE
• The importance of national and cultural
differences in anthropometry has been realized
for some time, but until recently there has been
little concerted effort to implement the relevant
data in the production of new plant and
machinery.

CULTURE
• The variability in anthropometric dimensions
due to national and cultural differences may not
all be as dramatic as the difference in some
culture.

OCCUPATION
• Differences in body size and proportion among
occupational groups are common and are fairly
well known.

OCCUPATION
e.g. Many body dimensions of a manual laborer are on
average larger than those of an academician.
however, such differences may also be related to
age, diet, exercise or many other factors, as well as
the result of selection criteria designated by specific
occupations.

OCCUPATION
• Whatever the reasons for the differences, however,
anthropometric variability in different occupations
must be realized so that appropriate environments
can be designed for the occupation and before
anthropometric data obtained from members of one
occupation can be used to design the environments
of another.

SECULAR (HISTORICAL) TRENDS
• Many people have observed that the equipment used
in earlier years would too small for effective use
today.
• Such observations imply that the average size of the
population increases over time, perhaps because of
better diet and living conditions.
• If true, the results would have important implications
for the design of an environment that is to survive for
some time.

SECULAR (HISTORICAL) TRENDS
• If we are getting taller, for example, then the design
might need to take account of the statures of future
generations as well as present-day users.

QUIZ 1
1. If we are getting taller, for example, then the design might
need to take account of the statures of future generations
as well as present-day users.

1 anthropometry

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