Issue 78

S. Majer et alii, Fracture and Structural Integrity, 78 (2026) 504-518; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.78.29

Rubber-Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTG) Among the most demanding operational loads encountered in container terminals are those generated by rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTG). These cranes transfer exceptionally high wheel loads to the pavement through a limited number of heavy-duty tyres, inducing severe localized stress concentrations within both the pavement layers and the underlying subsoil. In addition to the self-weight of the crane, the actual pavement loading depends on the container stacking configuration, the total weight of the lifted containers, the operational position of the trolley, and dynamic impact factors associated with hoisting operations. Consequently, RTG loading configurations frequently constitute one of the governing design load cases for container yard pavements. Fig. 5 and Tab. 2 present the loads transferred to the pavement depending on the position and weight of the container for the crane used in the Port of Szczecin. Wind speed: 0 [m/s|, Spreader Weight: 7.3 [t], Frame Weight: 117.4 [t], Total Weight: 124.7 [t], Hoist Impact Factor: 1, Acceleration: 0 [m/s²], Tyre Inflation Pressure: 1.0 [MPa] Container Load [t] Trolley Position Maximum wheel load [t] Critical wheel location 0 pos. 1 18.3 Corner 3 pos. 2 18.3 Corner 1 pos. 3 21.5 Corner 1 10 pos. 1 20.5 Corner 3 pos. 2 19.5 Corner 1 pos. 3 23.7 Corner 1 20 pos. 1 22.8 Corner 3 pos. 2 20.8 Corner 1 pos. 3 26.0 Corner 1 30 pos. 1 25.0 Corner 3 pos. 2 22.0 Corner 1 pos. 3 28.2 Corner 1 41 pos. 1 27.5 Corner 3 pos. 2 23.4 Corner 1 pos. 3 30.6 Corner 1 Table 2: Operational pavement loads induced by RTG crane wheels depending on container weight and trolley position.

Figure 6: RTG crane geometry and trolley positions (Pos. 1–Pos. 3) adopted for wheel load evaluation during pavement design. Adapted from Kalmar RTG technical documentation [13]. Oversized cargo transportation In addition to conventional cargo handling operations, ports occasionally accommodate oversized and overweight cargoes requiring specialized logistics procedures. Such operations may involve transfers between rail and inland waterway

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