•Planning and
Scheduling
Planning
• Devise the best methods or systems for
constructing the project using limited
resources
– Labor
– Materials
– Equipment
– Capital
Scheduling
• A “time-phased plan” used to show an
organized array of information dealing
with resources, activity relationship,
costs, and performance.
Supervision
• Management personnel responsible for
controlling the jobsite workforce
– What kind of workers
– How many workers
– What kind of equipment
– What materials are needed
Why Schedule?
• Helps us complete the job on time and within
budget:
– To calculate the project completion
• Gives us an estimate of time needed to
complete each activity
– To calculate the start or end of a specific activity.
• Establishes a planned rate of progress
• Helps establish worker, material, and
equipment needs
• Helps for future planning and estimating
Why Schedule?
• To improve work efficiency.
• To resolve delay claims , this is
important in critical path method
‘CPM’ discussed later..
• To serve as an effective project control
tool .
The Tripod of Good Scheduling System
1. The Human Factor : A proficient scheduler or scheduling
team.
2. The Technology : A good scheduling computer system
(software and hardware)
3. The Management : A dynamic, responsive, and supportive
management.
If anyone of the above three ‘‘legs’’ is missing, the system
will fail.
May 24, 2013 7
Scheduling Principles
• Logical sequence of operations
– Look at past experience
– Talk with those supervisors who will control the
workforce
• Do not exceed the capabilities of your
resources
– Capital
– Manpower
– Equipment
Scheduling Principles (cont.)
• Provide for continuity of operations
– Be knowledgeable in the construction process
– Understand the relationship between all the
activities
• Start project controlling (critical) activities
early
Types of schedules
• Bar Graph
• CPM
• Network Scheduling & PDM
• PERT
• Scheduling with Resource Constraints
• GERT
Bar Graph
• Relates progress of items of work to a time
schedule
• Usually referred to as Gantt charts-(Henry L.
Gantt)
• Still widely used today
Bar (Gantt) Charts
May 24, 2013 12
DEFINITION AND INTRODUCTION
• A bar chart is ‘‘a graphic representation of project
activities, shown in a time-scaled bar line with no
links shown between activities’’
The bar may not indicate continuous work from the start of
the activity until its end.
or
Non continuous (dashed) bars are sometimes used to
distinguish between real work (solid line) and inactive
periods (gaps between solid lines)
May 24, 2013 13
• Before a bar chart can be constructed for a
project, the project must be broken into
smaller, usually homogeneous components,
each of which is called an activity, or a task.
Item Activity
M 10 Mobilization
Bars ( Month or Year )
May 24, 2013 14
ADVANTAGES OF BAR CHARTS
1- Time-scaled
2- Simple to prepare
3- Can be more effective and efficient if CPM based
- Still the most popular method
4- Bars can be dashed to indicate work stoppage.
5- Can be loaded with other information (budget,
man hours, resources, etc.)
May 24, 2013 15
Disadvantages of Bar Graphs
• No critical path shown
• Doesn’t show relationship between
activities
• Doesn’t show delays or changes
• Does not show logic
• Not practical for projects with too many
activities
- As a remedy, we can use bar charts to show:
• 1. A small group of the activities (subset)
• 2. Summary schedules
Quiz
True or False:
[Link] bar representing a 4-day activity is twice as long
as a bar representing a 2-day activity in a bar chart
[Link] chart method lost its applicability with the
introduction of the Critical Path Method
[Link] in a bar chart must be connected with
relationship lines
4.A bar representing an activity in a bar chart may not
be continuous
[Link] charts and Gantt charts are two different
methods.
[Link] charts can be loaded with information other than
May 24, 2013 17
the timeline of the project
Quiz
7. Bar charts can be used to report information
to people who are concerned about project
but may not be involved in day-to-day
management.T/F
8. bar chart communicate the interrelationship
among project activities.
9. bar charts can not be used to calculate
specific project activity start dates,
completion dates, and available float time.
Basic Networks
May 24, 2013 19
DEFINITION AND INTRODUCTION
• A network is a logical and chronological graphic
representation of the activities (and events)
composing a project.
• Network diagrams are the preferred technique for
showing activity sequencing.
• Two main formats are the arrow and precedence
diagramming methods.
May 24, 2013 20
Two classic formats
AOA: Activity on Arrow
AON: Activity on Node
Each task labeled with
Identifier (usually a letter/code)
Duration (in std. unit like days)
There are other variations of labeling
There is 1 start & 1 end event
Time goes from left to right
21
Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM)
1. Also called activity-on-arrow (AOA) network
diagram or (I-J) method (because activities are
defined by the form node, I, and the to node, J)
2. Activities are represented by arrows.
3. Nodes or circles are the starting and ending
points of activities.
4. Can only show finish-to-start dependencies.
May 24, 2013 22
Basic Logic Patterns for Arrow Diagrams
Node (Event) i Node (Event) j
Activity Name
i j
j>i
Each activity should have a unique i – j value
(a) Basic Activity
May 24, 2013 23
24
A B
2 4 10 12
(b) Independent Activities
A B
3 6 9
(c) Dependent Activities
May 24, 2013
4 A
C
B 6 8
2
Activity C depends upon the completion of both Activities A & B
(d) A Merge
B 6
A
2 4
C
8
Activities B and C both depend upon the completion of Activity A
(e) A Burst 25
12 A C
18
B
16 D
14 20
Activities C and D both depend upon the completion of Activities A and B
(f) A Cross
May 24, 2013 26
Example
Draw the arrow network for the project given next.
Activity IPA
A -
B A
C A
D B
E C,D
May 24, 2013 27
Solution :
B 30 D
10 A 20 40 E 50
C
May 24, 2013 28
Dummy activity (fictitious)
* Used to maintain unique numbering of activities.
* Used to complete logic, duration of “0”
* The use of dummy to maintain unique numbering of activities.
May 24, 2013 29
A
Divide node to correct
4 10
B
(a) Incorrect Representation
A
4 10
Dummy B
11
May 24, 2013
(b) Correct Representation
30
Example
Draw the arrow network for the project given next.
Activity IPA
A -
B A
C A
D B,C
May 24, 2013 31
32
Solution :
10 A 20 30 D 40
C
Improper solution
B 30
Dummy
10 A 20 40 D 50
C
May 24, 2013 proper solution
33
Example
Draw the arrow network for the project given next.
Activity IPA
A -
B A
C A
D B
E B,C
F C
May 24, 2013 33
Solution :
B 30 D
Dummy 1
10 A 20 50 E 60
Dummy 2
C 40 F
May 24, 2013 34
Removal of Redundant Dummies
Original Diagram Diagram after removal
of redundant dummies
(a) A B A B
(b) A B A B
C C
May 24, 2013 35
Original Diagram Diagram after removal
of redundant dummies
(c) A C A C
B E B E
(d) A C A C
B E B E
May 24, 2013 36
Activity Depends Upon Immediately Preceding
Activity (IPA)
A ----- -----
B A A
C A, B B
A B C
Redundant
Relationship
May 24, 2013 37
Activity List with Dependencies:
Activity Description Depends Upon
A Site Clearing -----
B Removal of Trees -----
C Excavation for Foundations A
D Site Grading A, B, C
E Excavation for Utility Trenches A, B, C
F Placing formwork & Reinforcement B, C, J, M
G Installing sewer lines B, C, D, E, K
H Pouring concrete D, E, F, G, L
J Obtain formwork & reinforcing steel -----
K Obtain sewer lines -----
L Obtain concrete -----
M Steelworker availability -----
May 24, 2013 38
Removing Redundant Relationships:
Activity Description Depends Upon
A Site Clearing -----
B Removal of Trees -----
C Excavation for Foundations A
D Site Grading A, B, C
E Excavation for Utility Trenches A, B, C
F Placing formwork & Reinforcement B, C, J, M
G Installing sewer lines B, C, D, E, K
H Pouring concrete D, E, F, G, L
J Obtain formwork & reinforcing steel -----
K Obtain sewer lines -----
L Obtain concrete -----
M Steelworker availability -----
May 24, 2013 39
L
J
25
F
M H
15 40 45
G
B E
5 20 35
D
A C
10 30
K
AOA Representation
May 24, 2013 40
NODE NETWORKS MTHOD (AON)
Activity number
Link 10 20
A B
Activity name
a) Independent Activities
10 Link 20
A B B depends on A
b) Dependent Activities
May 24, 2013 41
10
A
30 40 C depends on A & B
C D D depends on C
20
B
c) A Merge Relationship
30
C
10 20 B depends on A
A B C depends on B
40 D depends on B
D
d) A Burst Relationship
May 24, 2013 42
A D
A D
B Start Finish
Dummy B Dummy
C E C E
e) Start & Finish Dummy Activities
May 24, 2013 43
44
Example
Draw the arrow network for the project given next.
Activity IPA
A -
B A
C A
D B
E C,D
May 24, 2013 44
Solution :
B D
A E
May 24, 2013 45
46
Example
Draw the arrow network for the project given next.
Activity IPA
A -
B A
C A
D B,C
May 24, 2013 46
Solution :
A D
May 24, 2013 47
48
Example
Draw the arrow network for the project given next.
Activity IPA
A -
B A
C A
D B
E B,C
F C
May 24, 2013 48
Solution :
B D
A PF
E
C F
May 24, 2013 49
Lags and Leads
In some situations, an activity cannot start until a
certain time after the end of its Predecessor.
Lag is defined as a minimum waiting period between the finish
(or start) of an activity and the start (or finish) of its successor.
Arrow networks cannot accommodate lags. The
only solution in such networks is to treat it as a real
activity with a real duration, no resources, and a $0
budget.
May 24, 2013 50
Examples
Place Concrete 3 Strips Forms
3 2
A lag in a node network
Place Concrete Cure Concrete Strips Forms
A lag in an arrow network
May 24, 2013 51
The term lead simply means a negative lag. It is seldom used in
construction. In simple language: A positive time gap (lag)
means ‘‘after’’ and a negative time gap (lead) means ‘‘before.’’
May 24, 2013 52
Recommendations for Proper Node Diagram Drawing
Incorrect Correct
May 24, 2013 53
B A B
A
A
B
Improper proper
May 24, 2013 54
Improper Proper
May 24, 2013 55
Improper Proper
May 24, 2013 56
A A
B PS B
C C
Improper Proper
May 24, 2013 (a) Do not start a network with more than one node 57
A A
B B PF
C C
Improper Proper
May 24, 2013 (a) Do not end a network with more than one node 58
CPM- Critical Path Method
• Planning- Determines and lists activities
• Scheduling- Logically arranges all activities
• Monitoring- Reacts to delays and changes
• Controlling- Make events conform to schedule
by coordinating all activities involved
Advantages of CPM Process
• Identify key personnel to be involved in the
project
• Discover in advance the critical path
• Better understand the interrelationships of
activities
• Help focus on potential problem areas
• More useful in forecasting and control
CPM Terms
• Activity – Individual task that is required to
complete a project
• Activity duration – Estimated time required to
complete an activity
• Critical activity – An activity that has no float
and cannot be delayed without delaying the
completion of the project
CPM Terms (cont.)
• Critical Path – The chain of activities that
determine the project completion time, the
longest path through the network
• Float – The amount of time an activity can be
delayed without delaying the overall
completion of the project
CPM Terms (cont.)
• Early Start (ES) – Earliest time an activity can
start
• Early Finish (EF) – Earliest time an activity can
be completed
• Late Start (LS) – Latest time an activity can
start without delaying the project completion
CPM Terms (cont.)
• Late Finish (LF) – Latest time an activity can be
completed without delaying the project
completion
• Network – The graphical representation of the
project plan that shows the interrelationships
between activities
Types of CPM Schedules
• Activity- on- arrow diagram
– Lines with arrows represent activity
– Alphabetic and/or numeric label for each activity
– Days of duration numerically
• Activity-on-node
– Node represents the activity with the activity
number and duration
– Line with arrow shows logical relationship
between them
Sequencing of Activities
• Precedence – What activities must precede an
activity
• Concurrence – What activities can go on at the
same time
• Succession – What activities must follow an
activity
