Cycle time models for yard cranes considering block layouts in container terminals

Various different types of yard cranes are used in container terminals. Examples are rubber tired gantry cranes, rail mounted gantry cranes, overhead bridge cranes, dual rail-mounted gantry cranes, and automated stacking cranes. The kinematics and handling characteristics of these yard cranes are different from each other. This study analyses characteristics of generic types of yard cranes which represent various yard cranes in practice being used in several types of block layouts. Considering specifications of yard cranes and block layouts, expected cycle times and variances of the cycle time are estimated for different handling activities.