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As electric bikes continue to grow in popularity, it is important to ensure that they are equipped with well-designed components. One such component is the rear swing arm (RSA). This study deals with the design and structural analysis of an RSA used for electric bikes. This RSA is composed of two swing arms (one on each side of the bikes), a yoke, a suspension block, and bolts or screws. First, an analytical approach was developed to calculate the initial values for the width and shape of the swing arm. Next, experimental data were used to analyze the response of the RSA and determine the final profile for the swing arms and yoke structure. Finally, the finite element approach was implemented to assess the stress, displacement, and fatigue responses of the RSA when subjected to realistic excitations and conditions. The initial results depicted the following characteristics for the RSA: C-channel profile, 43 mm height, and 2 mm wall thickness. These results implied that the maximum shear force would occur in a region representing approximately 15.5% of the total length of the RSA. Further analysis and calculations showed that this region would decrease to approximately 2.85% of the total length of the RSA. For the final design, the mechanical performance of the RSA was observed to remain acceptable despite the relatively high Von Mises stress values around these singularities. This study assumed the use of 7075 T651 aluminum alloy as the primary material for the RSA.

Mass sporting events in the summertime are influenced by underlying weather patterns, with high temperatures posing a risk for spectators and athletes alike. To better understand weather variations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) during the Pan American Games in 2015 (PA15 Games), Environment and Climate Change Canada deployed a mesoscale monitoring network system of 53 weather stations. Spatial maps across the GTA demonstrate large variations by heat metric (e.g., maximum temperature, humidex, and wet bulb globe temperature), identifying Hamilton, Ontario as an area of elevated heat and humidity, and hence risk for heat-related illness. A case study of the Hamilton Soccer Center examined on-site thermal comfort during a heat event and PA15 Soccer Games, demonstrating that athletes and spectators were faced with thermal discomfort and a heightened risk of heat-related illness. Results are corroborated by First Aid and emergency response data during the events, as well as insight from personal experiences and Twitter feed. Integrating these results provides new information on potential benefits to society from utilizing mesonet systems during large-scale sporting events. Results further improve our understanding of intra-urban heat variability and heat-health burden. The benefits of utilizing more comprehensive modeling approaches for human heat stress that coincide with fine-scale weather information are discussed.