Abstract
A modeling method for the seismic response of large movable flexible structures including the contact problem between wheels attached at the bottom ends of the structure and a rail, such as a container crane and an unloader, is developed. The contact configuration and the contact force between the wheel attached at the structure and the ground, that significantly affect to the seismic response of the structure, are classified and calculated according to geometric relationships between contact judging markers defined on the wheel and the rail. From the numerical simulation using proposed method, it is clarified that the presented modeling method simulates quite well the nonlinear seismic response of the container crane including the uplifting and derailment behavior of the wheel that is obtained by results of the large scale model shaking tests.
