Objective evaluation of the resistance of fabric to wetting using image processing techniques

In this study, in accordance with the basic principle of the water repellency test, images of visually evaluated samples were captured, and the wetted areas were numerically calculated using image processing techniques. Water repellent finishes were applied to different types of fabrics at varying concentrations, resulting in 102 samples with different water repellent properties. After the spray test, the sample images were compared with ISO shower test rating cards by 10 expert observers. In addition, the wetted areas of the samples were determined as percentages using image classification techniques with ERDAS 8.4 software. Kendall’s W test demonstrated a high level of agreement among the observers ( W = 0.882). A strong negative correlation ( r = −0.908) was found between objective and subjective data, as the evaluation rating decreases with increasing wetted area according to ISO shower test rating cards. This confirms that the objective evaluations closely align with the subjective measurements.