Journal of Textile Research ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (10): 176-186.doi: 10.13475/j.fzxb.20250400201

• Apparel Engineering • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Optimization of bra cup parameters based on breast morphological characteristics

LIU Yuwan1, ZHONG Zejun1, SUN Yue1,2,3, GU Bingfei1,4,5()   

  1. 1. School of Fashion Design & Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
    2. Apparel Engineering Research Center of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
    3. Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Clothing Digital Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
    4. Digital Intelligence Style and Creative Design Research Center, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
    5. Key Laboratory of Silk Culture Heritage and Products Design Digital Technology, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
  • Received:2025-04-02 Revised:2025-07-03 Online:2025-10-15 Published:2025-10-15
  • Contact: GU Bingfei E-mail:gubf@zstu.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Objective As a significant factor to reflect the morphological beauty of women, the breast part can also influence women's health. The bra cup can effectively support and gather the breasts, thereby improving the breast shape. To optimize the parameters of the bra cup, this study used the real-person wearing experiment and finite element model to analyze the relationship between the human body and bra. The influence of different bra cup parameters on the breast shape was evaluated from two aspects, including the displacement of breast feature points and the change in slice area, and then the bra cup parameters were optimized.

Method The point cloud data of human body were obtained through 3-D body scanning. Breast feature points and morphological parameters were extracted to establish geometric models of the breast, torso, and bra cup. Based on a thin bra cup model, geometric models of mold-cup bras with different bra cup parameters (thickness, long semi-axis length, short semi-axis length) were constructed by modifying these parameters. Utilizing the validated model, the wearing effects of 81 combinations of bra cup parameters were simulated. Displacements of breast feature points and pressure distribution were analyzed to investigate the influence of bra cup parameters on breast morphology.

Results The accuracy of the finite element contact model was verified through contour similarity and morphological parameter deviation. The breast parts of the actual model and the virtual model were segmented, and the similarity of their contour shapes was calculated to be 0.007, indicating a high degree of similarity and small deviation. At the same time, an independent sample t-test was used to test the slice area of the actual model and the virtual model. The t-test yielded t = -0.028, p = 0.978 > 0.05, indicating no significant difference between the two. Real experiments showed that thin bras had a better effect on increasing the height of the BP point, but thick bras were more suitable for optimizing the sagging shape of the breasts and to some extent avoiding over-lifting the breast position. Moreover, thick bras had a better effect on improving the degree of BP point convergence, which is conducive to shaping a more convergent breast shape. After wearing bras, the S value of the subjects increased, indicating that wearing bras helps flat-shaped breasts become fuller. However, fuller-shaped breasts led to decreased S value after wearing bras. After wearing thick bras, the breast area in the second and third quadrants was larger than that in the first and fourth quadrants, indicating that thick bras offered a better effect on improving the degree of breast convergence. Numerical simulation showed that for flat-rounded breasts, choosing a cup with a cup thickness of 15 mm and a short semi-axis of 20 mm had the best breast shaping effect. For bra manufacturers, a cup with a long semi-axis of 20 mm could be selected to save cup fabric and reduce production costs. Contact pressure analysis showed that when the cup thickness was 17 mm, the maximum contact pressure was between 1.47 kPa and 2.46 kPa, which would cause slight discomfort to the human body. The cup thickness should be appropriately reduced.

Conclusion The proposed numerical simulation method was adopted to quantitatively evaluate the morphological changes of the breast. The support and gathering capabilities of bras under different cup parameters were compared, and the optimal cup parameters for flat-rounded breasts were obtained. This model can be used to study the complex contact mechanism between the human breast and the bra cup, thereby providing theoretical guidance for the development of bra cups from the perspectives of functionality and comfort. It has application value in optimizing the design of bra cups, shortening the product development cycle, and reducing production costs.

Key words: bra mold-cup, breast morphology, 3-D body measurement, human body point cloud data, bra cup parameter

CLC Number: 

  • TS941.17

Fig.1

Definition of bra cup parameters. (a) Schematic diagram of bra cup; (b) Classification of cup types; (c) Semi-axis and thickness of cup"

Fig.2

Experimental bras. (a) Front view; (b) Cross-sectional view of cups"

Tab.1

Material coefficients of bra"

文胸部件 弹性模量E/MPa 泊松比υ
模杯 1.00 0.30
面料(纵向) 0.14 0.24
面料(横向) 0.49 0.18

Fig.3

Schematic diagram of breast morphological variations. (a) Front view; (b) Top view; (c) Left view"

Tab.2

Definition of feature points and lines"

类型 符号 定义
特征点 DBBP 乳房下侧点:乳房边界最低点
DOBP 乳房外侧点:乳房边界最远离前中线的点
DIBP 乳房内侧点:乳房边界最接近前中线的点
DBP 乳点:乳头的中心点
DCP 乳沟点:到DBP点与水平方向呈45°角且距离7 cm的点
特征线 LBL 胸围线:过DBP点的水平围线
LOIL DOBP点和DIBP点的连线

Fig.4

Calibration of breast feature points and lines"

Fig.5

Local coordinate system of breast. (a)Coordinate origin determination via minimum bounding rectangle method; (b) New local coordinate system"

Fig.6

Segmentation schematic diagram of right breast"

Fig.7

Breast cross-section schematic diagram"

Fig.8

Cross-sectional schematic diagram of right breast segmentation. (a) Frontal view of breast; (b) Top view of breast"

Tab.3

Breast morphology parameter definitions"

符号 定义
H 头顶到地面的垂线距
HT O″点与切片1最大Z值坐标之间的纵向距离
HU O″点与DBBP点之间的纵向距离
HBP DBP点到地面的垂线距
W 胸宽
WOBP O″点与DOBP点之间的水平距离
WIBP O″点与DIBP点之间的水平距离
WBB 两乳点间距
RBH HBP和H的比值
RBW WBB和W的比值
S 切片Pij的数量
Sij 切片Pij的面积
GBL LBL的长度

Tab.4

Mean parameter values under three wearing conditionscm"

穿戴情况 WOBP值 WIBP值 WBB值
薄文胸 8.25 6.39 16.69
厚文胸 8.22 6.05 16.26
无文胸 6.38 7.18 18.41

Tab.5

Variations in S11, S12, S13, and S14 values under three wearing conditionscm2"

穿戴情况 S11 S12 S13 S14
薄文胸 7.29 17.63 8.69 6.08
厚文胸 8.30 19.60 7.67 5.31
无文胸 14.59 21.32 5.40 7.11

Fig.9

Quadrant area variation in breast cross-sections with/without bra"

Fig.10

Geometric mode of human body. (a) Model of torso; (b) Model of breast; (c) Model of soft tissue"

Fig.11

Mold cup geometric model construction process.(a) Sketch of bra cup; (b) Point cloud model; (c) Solid model"

Tab.6

Material coefficients of the model"

类型 材料模型 材料参数
乳房 Mooney-Rivlin C10=0.05 kPa
C01=0.052 kPa
C11=0.375 kPa
C20=0.78 kPa
C02=0.63 kPa
模杯 Odgen μ1=2.81 kPa,α1=1.66
μ1=-2.80 kPa,α1=1.61
μ1=0.003 1 kPa,α1=38.28

Fig.12

Contour similarity analysis between physical (a) and virtual (b) models"

Tab.7

Analysis of parameter deviation between actual model and virtual model"

类别 GBL值/cm RBH值 RBW值
模拟 77.70 0.707 2 0.663 8
实际 79.44 0.705 8 0.632 6
差值 1.74 0.001 4 0.312 0
偏差/% 2.19 0.20 4.93

Fig.13

Comparative analysis of cross-section"

Tab.8

Correlation between bra cup parameters and feature points displacement"

文胸匹位
参数		 DBP点
Y向		 DBP点
Z向		 DCP点
Y向		 DCP点
Z向
匹位厚度 -0.926** -0.739** 0.513** -0.167
匹位短半轴 0.073 0.502** -0.576** 0.647**

Fig.14

Schematic representation of interface stress distribution"

Tab.9

Correlation between bra cup parameters and maximum contact pressure on breast"

乳房压强 匹位厚度 匹位短半轴长 匹位长半轴长
最大接触压强 0.857** -0.182 0.067
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[1] ZHONG Zejun, ZHANG Beibei, XU Kaiyi, WANG Ruowen, GU Bingfei. Research on breast shape of young females using characteristic parameters [J]. Journal of Textile Research, 2022, 43(10): 148-154.
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