Ladies and Gentlemen
I was always of the impression that the reason Boeing decided on the configuration of the landing gear for the B747 was more than just structural support spread across the fuselage and wing spar – it was also for distribution of the weight on the ground across the larger “foot print” of 16 tires (vs. a smaller number – like 10 or 12 with a single body gear) and for the additional brake surface area for stopping purposes. Certainly, there are considerations for weight for both takeoff and landing but to my understanding, its not just structural – its structural, weight distribution on the surface, and braking - all together.