Structural optimisation of mountaineering trousers through gait analysis and skin deformation mapping

This study presents a design pipeline linking skeletal motion, skin deformation, and garment structure to improve the dynamic fit of mountaineering trousers. Vicon motion capture and Visual3D were used to analyse 20 participants during upslope, downslope, upstairs, and downstairs walking, identifying five key frames. Two frames, upstair lift-swing and upslope loading response, were selected for skin-deformation analysis. Artec Eva scans of 11 women quantified surface-area and segment-length changes across ten lower-limb regions. Global surface-area changes ranged from 53.00% to 68.11%, with stretching concentrated at the anterior knee and waist–hip, and contraction at the posterior knee and abdomen. Near-zero deformation at the lateral waist/thigh, shank side, and sub-patellar regions indicated suitable seam locations. Back-rise elongation reached 8.68%–11.38%, front-rise shortening about 8.6%, and knee-girth increase 6.51%. A prototype incorporating targeted ease and seam placement showed better conformity than commercial trousers, validating the optimisation approach at critical body sections during movement.