TIME SCALED

EVENT NETWORK
THE GANTT CHART
- is a popular tool for planning and scheduling simple projects;
- serves as an aid of the manager to schedule project activities and then to monitor progress
overtime by comparing the planned progress to the actual work progress;
- once completed, the chart indicate which activities were to occur, their planned duration
and when they were to occur.
Other information from the chart includes:
1. The ongoing activities on any date can be seen from the diagram by using a straight
edge or ruler vertically on the desired date intersecting the arrows representing the
activities. The arrows intersected by the straight edge or ruler are the activities
supposed to be ongoing on that date. By reviewing the individual project program, the
number of men machines and materials supposed to be used on the project on such
date can be determined.
2. The request for time extension of the project can be determined by looking at the
diagram. If the delay is due to reasons beyond the control of man such as rain, flood
and typhoon and such delay is along the critical path, the request should be
considered. But if the delay is along a lax path, the time extension request should not
be granted if the delay incurred is less than the total float of the activity that has been
delayed.

AN EVENT CPM DIAGRAM NETWORK

MAN POWER LEVELING

The consequence of employment fluctuation and equipment utilization adds to the cost of the
project. This is a problem where the only solution is to keep employment at an acceptable level.
The use of activity float to level resource requirement is illustrated in the following hypothetical
project. The following figure is a time scaled CPM network with man power loading chart.

CPM Network or Critical Path Method/ Critical Path Analysis

- Developed in the 1950s by the US Navy

- Originally, the critical path method considered only as logical dependencies between
terminal elements
- Since then, it has expanded to allow for the inclusion of resource related to each activity,
through the processes called activity-based resource assignment and resource leveling.
- Critical Path Method for the construction industry
o Non-computer approach
o By John Fondahl
 US Marine Corps Sergeant in Iwo Jima
 Stanford CE Professor Emeritus
 1961 Paper for the US Navy- “Non-Computer Approach to the Critical Path
Method for the Construction Industry”
- It is a mathematically based algorithm for scheduling a set of project
- It is an important tool for effective project management
- It is a sequential activity from start to finish
- When delay occurred, project acceleration or resequencing is done.
From Figure 7-7 and 7-8 the daily employment on the activities are tabulated as follows:

1) Days 1 to 4 the manpower of activities are:

Activity A = 10 men for 11 days
Activity B = 10 men for 4 days
Activity C = 5 men for 7 days
Activity E = 15 men for 5 days
Total …. 40 men x 4 days ……….160 man days

B- 4 days

E- 5 days

C- 7 days

A- 11 days

2) Day 5 for activity A, C, D and E we have:

A = 10 men
C = 5 men
D = 15 men
E = 15 men
 Total = 45 men x 1 day…………………….45 man days

(At this point activity B with 10 men is no longer included.

One day remaining for activity E with 15 men is include)

3) Days 6 to 7 for activities A, C and D:

A = 10 men + C = 5 men + D = 15 men
Total……. 30 men x 2 days ……………60 man days
4) Days 8 to 11 for activities A, D, F and K.
Activity A = 10 men
Activity D = 15 men
Activity F = 5 men
Activity K = 10 men
Total …..40 men x 4 days …………160 man days

At this point activity A with 11 days is already finished, activity D and F has
a remaining balance of 1 day of their target time duration.

5) Day 12 for activities D, F and K

15 men + 5 men + 10 men = 30 men
Total …..30 men x 1 days …………..30 man days
6) Day 13 for activities G, H, I and K
10 men + 5 men + 15 men + 10 men = 40 men
Total …..40 men x 1 days …………..40 man days
At this point, activity K is through with its time scheduled and we will
proceed to activities G, H, I and J starting at day 14.

7) Days 14 to 18 for activities G, H and I

10 men + 5 men + 15 men = 30 men
Total …..30 men x 5 days …………150 man days
8) Days 19 to 26 for activities I, J-L
15 men + 5 men = 20 men
Total …..20 men x 8 days …………160 man days
9) Day 27 for activity L only = 5 men x 1day ..... 5 man days
Total ………….…………810 man days
10) The total manpower requirements of the project is 810 man days for a duration of 27 days.
Therefore, the lowest passible constant manpower level per day is:
810 man days = 30 men
 27 days

11) Assume 30 men as a target level of workers per day try to flatten all humps over and raise
all dips under 30 of the Time Scaled Network and Manpower Loading of Figure 7-8.
12) Try first the activities with Free Float and schedule at the peak periods. These activities
may be re-scheduled by moving them to a period where resources requirements are low.
13) For the first four days activity, there are 40 men and to bring this down to a level of 30
men, one of the starting activities will have to delayed.
14) The Float Status of the four activities involved will be as follows:
a) Activity A has 6 days Free Float between EF of A and ES (17 – 11 = 16) see Figure 7-
8.
b) Activity B has 5 days Free Float between EF of D and ES (17 – 12 = 5) see Figure 7-
8.
c) Activity E has 7 days Free Float between EF of E and ES of H, (12 – 5 = 7) see Figure
7-8.
d) Activity C is critical. Thus, activity C has the priority to use the limited resources.
15) Activity B has no Free Float, hence, will not be moved unless there is no more alternative.
16) If the activity E will be delayed by 4 days, the utilization of manpower for the first 4 days
will be 25 days only.
17) By delaying activity A by 4 days, the manpower utilization for the first 4 days is 30.
Therefore, we choose to delay activity A by 4 days.

18) The 5th day has a manpower requirements of 45. By further analysis, we have the following
alternatives:
a) Delay activity A by one more day
b) Delay activity D by one day which is logical because the men under this activity is not
yet working
c) Stop activity E for one day but is not advisable because the men are already working.
19) By alternative (a) still have 35 men required for the 5th day. Alternative (b) is recommended
for it satisfy the 30 men target manpower per day.
20) Figure 7-9 is the result of partially leveled schedule. From the 8th to 15th day, the manpower
requirements exceed 30. Therefore, the best alternative combination is to delay the start
of activity K to the 22nd day. Delay the start of activity one by one and delay B to start on
the 16th day.
21) Figure 7-11 shows the total leveled schedule. As a rule “It is not possible to bet a
completely leveled schedule for a real project.”
22) The problem would be complicated if there are more than one resources that has to be
leveled. It is therefore practical to have a gradual build-up in work force followed by an
equal tapering drop at the end of the project.
EQUIPMENT CONSTRAINTS
If the equipment fluctuate or goes up and down, some equipment would be idle for some time
and if rented for a short periods, the rental might be too high due to fixed expenses for moving
in and out of the project.

To handle activities competing for the same resources, it is usually performed in a series rather
than the following simple construction case. The construction of an office building with two
separate units is to be undertaken concurrently and that the project is to be considered finished
after completion of the two units.

The five phases of construction using equipment are shown on the following table:

Operations Unit A (weeks) Unit B (weeks)

1. Excavation for foundations 4 8
2.Concreting of foundations 5 3
3.Concreting of 6 10
superstructure
4.Erection of prefab panels 4 4
5.Finishing work 5 7

There is one constraint in the construction. The availability of a crane. Excavation will be done
by clamshell and the positioning of the prefab panels by crane. Only one crane will be available
at the project site at all times. Manpower is unlimited. The problem is to make a schedule having
the shortest project duration.

If the resources is unlimited, the construction of the two units could be done concurrently and
finished in 30 weeks. The sequence of the activities is in accordance with the technological
requirements and the critical path is along the activities of unit B (Fig.7-12)

Considering the equipment constraint and the excavation of foundation plus the positioning of
the prefab panels are the activities that requires the services of a crane. The following
alternatives can be drawn up in the revision of the schedule.

1. Excavate A ahead of B, positioning panels A ahead of B (Fig.7-13)

2. Excavate A ahead of B, positioning panels B ahead of A (Fig.7-14)
3. Excavate B ahead of A, positioning panels A ahead of B (Fig.7-15)
 4. Excavate B ahead of A, positioning panels B ahead of A (Fig.7-16)

TIME SCALED EVENT NETWORK

ANALYSIS:

1. Making a graphical analysis of alternative-1, we have Fig. 7-13. The project duration is
36 weeks, which is 4 weeks longer than 32 weeks when there is no constraint (Fig. 7-12)
2. For alternative-2, we have Fig 7-14. The project duration is 38 weeks longer by 6 weeks
3. Making the graphical analysis of alternative-3 and alternative-4, we have Fig. 7-15 and
7-16 respectively.
4. By comparison, alternative four of Fig. 7-16 has the shortest time duration of 34 weeks
and therefore, is recommended in the execution of the work.

In the above illustration, it could be seen that an arbitrary selection of a possible sequence fives
us no assurance of good schedule. On the contrary, a complete enumeration of all the possible
schedules for a more complex projects is time consuming and therefore is not advisable

FIG. 7-12 CPM DIAGRAM BASED ON TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS ONLY

FIG. 7-13 ALTERNATIVE -1 BASED ON CONSTRAINTS OF ONLY ONE CRANEAVAILABLE
AT ANY TIME

FIG. 7-14 ALTERNATIVE – 2 BASED ON CONSTRAINTS OF ONLY ONE CRANE

AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME
FIG 7-15 ALTERNATIVE-2 BASED ON CONSTRAINT OF ONLY ONECRANE AVAILABLE
AT ANY TIME

FIG 7-16 ALTERNATIVE-2 BASED ON CONSTRAINT

PROBABLE TIME ESTIMATE
PERT
- is a management tool that is suited for research and development projects which are
generally non-repetitive in nature and is sometimes called “once-through” projects.
- Duration time for activities in research and development projects are subject to uncertainty
but PERT handles the uncertainty problem by the use of three estimates, namely:

1. The Optimistic time

2. The Most Likely Time or Probabilistic Time
3. The Pessimistic Time

Optimistic Time
- is the estimated minimum time an activity will take;
- is the expected activity duration when all the breaks are right. Its probability is
about 1 in 100 or 1% represented by letter a (see figure).
Most Likely Time or Probabilistic Time
- is the estimated normal length of time an activity takes;
- is the time expected that will most frequently be required for an activity if it were
done again and again under identical conditions represented by letter m (see
figure).
Pessimistic Time
- is the estimated maximum time that will be required under the worst condition.
- Its probability is about -1 in 100 or 1% represented by letter b (see figure).

FREQUENCY DIAGRAM
 However, to compute probabilities, there is a need to understand some particular
terms used in Statics such as:

- Frequency distribution
- Normal curve or normal probability curve
- Standard deviation
- Normal deviate or probability factor