Roger Barker

Roger L. Barker is a Professor in the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science at North Carolina State University and Director of TPACC.  He is internationally recognized for his work in the field of thermal protective clothing and comfort and heat stress in clothing systems.  Barker has published many technical papers on the subject of the effects of intense heat exposures on fabric materials including exposures to flash fire, molten metal, hot surface contact and radiant energy.  He was Chairman of the 1984 ASTM International Symposium on the Performance of Protective Clothing.  He is an active participant in several committees of the National Fire Protection Association, which are involved in the development of standards for the performance of protective clothing.  Barker holds B. S. and M. S. Degrees in physics from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D., in Textile and Polymer Science from Clemson University.  He has positions at Cornell and at Clemson Universities.  His industrial experience includes work as a physicist in spun bonded fabrics research.

Research

Thermal protective performance of textile fabrics and clothing, heat transfer mechanisms in intense heat exposures. Fabric and clothing flammability, materials response and testing methodologies.

Comfort properties of textile clothing and materials, heat and moisture transfer in textile structures, objective measurement of fabric hand.

Industrial analysis of thermal and mechanical properties of textile fabrics. Textile measurement technologies, instrumented manikins. Assessment of human sensory and physiological response to clothing comfort.

Academic Degrees

• B.S. Physics, University of Tennessee,
• M.S. Physics, University of Tennessee,
• Ph.D. Textile and Polymer Science, Clemson University,

Publications

Effects of Outer Shell Fabric Color, Smoke Contamination, and Washing on Heat Loss through Turnout Suit Systems

Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Fang, X., Barker, R. L., DenHartog, E., & Watson, K. (2022, January 26), TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175211073353

Relationship between heat loss indexes and physiological indicators of turnout-related heat strain in mild and hot environments

Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Barker, R., Fang, X., & Watson, K. (2022, April 29), INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS. https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2022.2058746

Using a physiological manikin to evaluate the effect of foam thermal reinforcement in firefighter turnout construction on heat strain

Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., & Barker, R. L. (2022, April 29), JOURNAL OF THE TEXTILE INSTITUTE. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405000.2022.2072139

Effects of environmental temperature and humidity on evaporative heat loss through firefighter suit materials made with semi-permeable and microporous moisture barriers

Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Fang, X., Watson, K., DenHartog, E. A., & Barker, R. (2021, July 22), TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175211026537

Identifying factors that contribute to structural firefighter heat strain in North America

Barker, R., Fang, X., Deaton, S., DenHartog, E., Gao, H., Tutterow, R., & Schmid, M. (2021, November 11), INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS. https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2021.1987024

Analysis of air gap volume in structural firefighter turnout suit constructions in relation to heat loss

McQuerry, M., DenHartog, E., & Barker, R. (2018), TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL, 88(21), 2475–2484. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040517517723024

Functional design and evaluation of structural firefighter turnout suits for improved thermal comfort: Thermal manikin and physiological modeling

McQuerry, M., Barker, R., & DenHartog, E. (2018), Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 36(3), 165–179. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302x18757348

Impact of reinforcements on heat stress in structural firefighter turnout suits

McQuerry, M., DenHartog, E., & Barker, R. (2018), JOURNAL OF THE TEXTILE INSTITUTE, 109(10), 1367–1373. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405000.2018.1423881

Relationship between novel design modifications and heat stress relief in structural firefighters' protective clothing

McQuerry, M., Barker, R., & DenHartog, E. (2018), Applied Ergonomics, 70, 260–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2018.03.004

The influence of designs of protective uniforms on firefighters' performance during moderate physical exercises

Ciesielska-Wrobel, I., DenHartog, E., & Barker, R. (2018), TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL, 88(17), 1979–1991. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040517517715084

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Organizations

• National Fire Protection Association

Teaching

• TMS 211 - Introduction to Fiber Science ,
• TMS 471 - Textile Materials Design ,
• TE530 - Functional Textiles Protection and Comfort ,