Critical Path Method

In Primavera there are two methods of calculating critical path:

1- Total float less than or equal to a defined amount of time, typically zero days.
2- Longest path.

You can access to these two options by:

→ Projects view → Select a project → Click on the settings tab in the bottom layout (details).

This can be overridden at any time in the schedule options dialog.

→ Press F9 key → Options → General.

EPPM: Enterprise Project Portfolio Management.

The UK SCL: Society of Construction Law.

The US AACE: Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering.

So an activity is critical either by:

1- Its total float is less than or equal to a defined amount of time, typically zero days.
2- By its position falling along the longest path.

A longest path critical activity delay, will delay the entire project.

A total float critical activity delay may affect either an activity constraint date or the project completion
date. So it may or may not affect schedule completion.

 Activity-on-Node (AON) diagram: A basic type of a logic diagram used in scheduling.

 Critical Activity: Any activity in the schedule that does not possess any float; Total Float=0.
 Critical Path: The continuous string(s) of critical activities in the schedule between the Start
and Finish of the project. The sum of the activity durations in the Critical Path is equal to the
Project’s Duration; therefore, a delay to any Critical Activity will result in a delay to the Project
Completion Date.
 Critical Path Method (CPM): Any calculation method that shows the Critical Path in the
schedule.
 Duration: The amount of time required to complete a schedule activity.
 Early Start (ES): Earliest date the activity can start.
 Early Finish (EF): Earliest date that the activity can finish.
 Free Float (FF): The maximum number of days the activity can be delayed without delaying any
succeeding activity.
 Lag: Planned wait time between activities
 Late Finish (LF): Latest date that the activity can finish without causing a delay to the project
completion date.
 Late Start (LS): Latest date that the activity can start without causing a delay to the project
completion date.
  Predecessor: The “before” activity; immediately precedes.
 Successor: The “after” activity; immediately follows.
 Total Float (TF): The maximum number of days the activity can be delayed without delaying
the project completion date.

AON Calculation Method

 Forward Pass:
The first step in the calculation process is known as the Forward Pass. In the forward pass, the Early Start
and Early Finish values for each activity, along with the overall Project Duration, are calculated.

The calculation process begins with placing a zero in the Early Start (ES) position of the first activity. The
rest of the calculation continues with the use of the following formulas:

 Early Start = Maximum (or Highest) EF value from immediate Predecessor(s).

 Early Finish = ES + Duration.

 Backward Pass:
The second step in the calculation is comprised of the Backward Pass. Through this pass, the Late Start
and Late Finish values are calculated. The formulas for the backward pass are shown below:

 Late Start = LF – Duration.

 Late Finish = Minimum (or Lowest) LS value from immediate Successor(s).

To start the backward pass calculation, the EF value in the last activity is “dropped” down to the LF
value. Now the backward pass formulas for late start and late finish can be applied.

Float Calculations
The importance of calculating Total Float and Free Float are found it the definitions of these terms. As
stated earlier, float values indicate how much each individual activity can be delayed before affecting
successor activities or the planned project completion date.

 Total Float = LS – ES (it is also calculated by LF – EF).

 Free Float = Lowest ES of successors – EF.

Calculation Rules
There are a few common checks to conduct to help gauge whether or not the manual calculations have
been performed error-free.

 First, an activity’s value for Total Float can either be greater or equal to Free Float. Or in other
words, Free Float can never be larger than its value for Total Float.
  Second, the Critical Path must be continuous from the first activity in the schedule all the way
through to the last activity.
 Third, negative numbers should not appear for any calculated value.

Reports
1- Daily Report:
A daily report is a document that contains information relevant to a particular project.
Daily reporting keeps the project management team (including the owner and general
contractor) informed and aware of project progress.
Daily Report may include:
 Header and Footer: Including the logos of the contractor, the engineer, the
client/owner, and the donor/granter if any.
 General information: Project name, contract no., package no., date, and report no.
 Work conditions: Work status; active/not active, weather and temperature.
 Contractor Manpower: Direct and indirect manpower.
 Contractor Machinery: Type and number.
 Material delivered on site: Item, quantity, unit, and supplier.
 Activities going on site.
 Expected activities during the next day.
 Site photos.

2- Monthly Report:
A Monthly report is a document that contains information relevant to a particular project.
Monthly report gives a big picture of the project, and includes detailed information regarding all
the different segments of work.
Monthly Report may include:
 Cover page: including project name, report no., issue date, and the period covered by
the report, and logos of the contractor, engineer, client/owner, and donor/granter if
any.
 Header and Footer: including project name, report no. and period, date, logos, and page
numbering.
 Project summary: project name, contractor name, engineer name, client name, contract
amount, total area, location, etc…
 Table of content.
 Executive summary: introduction to the project, site location (pic), site plan,
contract/project particulars, obstacles, and organizational chart.
 Cost: break down cost of project works, SPI, cash flow, IPCs, and claims schedule.
 Submittal status: shop drawing submittal status and material submittal status.
 Planning: approved baseline schedule summary (1 page), revised schedule summary (1
page) if any, monthly planning update summary (1 page), Monthly look ahead
(detailed), manpower histogram and table, and equipment histogram and table.
 Quality control: Quality control reports summary table, NCR, RFC, WIR, MIR, Site
memos, and lab testing results table.
  Health and safety: days elapsed, accidents involving death, accidents involving injury,
and no. of man hours worked.
 Progress photos.

3- Narrative Report:
A daily report is a document that contains information relevant to a particular project.
Narrative report includes detailed information about the project schedule.
Narrative report may include:
 Cover page: Including project name, contractor name and logos.
 Header and Footer.
 Table of content.
 Objective.
 Contract general information: project name, contractor name, client name, engineer
name, contract amount, commencement date, finish date, and project duration.
 Calendars: as per the schedule (Primavera).
 Project structure: WBS and Activity ID codes.
 Relationships: Activities basic logic.
 Key dates and Milestones.
 Manpower histogram.
 Equipment histogram.
 S-Curve.
 Cash flow.
 Resources assigned to baseline.
 Distribution of cost along baseline activities.
 Baseline detailed schedule.
 Longest path.
 Schedule log (from primavera F9).

Construction Specifications Institute

CSI Master Format:
 Division 01 — General Requirement
 Division 02 — Site Construction
 Division 03 — Concrete
 Division 04 — Masonry
 Division 05 — Metals
 Division 06 — Wood and Plastics
 Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection
 Division 08 — Doors and Windows
 Division 09 — Finishes
 Division 10 — Specialties
 Division 11 — Equipment
 Division 12 — Furnishings
  Division 13 — Special Construction
 Division 14 — Conveying Systems
 Division 15 — Mechanical/Plumbing
 Division 16 — Electrical

Delay Analysis
Common Delay Causes Encountered On Construction Projects:
Contractor-caused delays:
 Shortage of Manpower on site.
 Lack of material supply to the site.
 Cash flow issues.
 Contractual problems between the main contractor and the subcontractor.
 Lack of proper planning and management of the project.

Owner-caused delays:
 Scope changes.
 Cash flow issues.
 Limiting contractor’s access to the site.
 Late approval of materials and drawings.

Delays for reasons beyond the contractor or owner's control:

 Strikes
 Unusual weather conditions.
 Unforeseeable circumstances and force majeure.

The project activities comprising a schedule are 2 types, critical and non-critical. The non-critical
activities have a certain number of days (float) where the activity can be delayed without delaying the
whole project. For example, five days float means that the activity can be delayed up to five days
without delaying the whole project. The critical activities have zero or less float, which means that each
delay day will delay the whole project. Determining which activities are critical and non-critical depends
on the durations and logic of the sequence of activities.

Delays Can Be Divided Into:

 1. Excusable Delay: delay at no fault to the contractor. In this case, a time extension is owed to the
contractor.
‫ يكون تمديد الوقت مستحقاً للمقاول‬، ‫ في هذه الحالة‬.‫ تأخير بدون خطأ من المقاول‬:‫تأخير مبرر‬.
2. Non-Excusable Delay: delay due to the contractor’s fault.
‫ يتحمل مسؤوليته المقاول‬:‫تأخير غير مبرر‬.
3. Compensable Delay: delay where the delayed party is owed money to compensate for the loss
due to the delay.
‫ التأخير الذي يكون فيه الطرف المتأخر مستحقا ً لمال لتعويض الخسارة الناجمة عن التأخير‬:‫التأخير القابل للتعويض‬.
4. Non-Compensable Delay: delay where a time extension is owed but no compensation is owed
to the delayed party.
‫ حيث يكون تمديد الوقت مستحقا ً ولكن ال يوجد تعويض مستحق للطرف المتأخر‬:‫التأخير غير القابل للتعويض‬.
5. Concurrent Delay: delay where a construction project is delayed by two events at the same
time, one being an event for which the employer takes responsibility under the contract and
the other for which the contractor takes responsibility.
‫ تأخير يتسبب فيه أكثر من طرف وألكثر من سبب‬:‫التأخير المتزامن أو المشترك‬.

Some Points That Need Careful Review Prior To Approving The Schedule:
1. Verify that the start and completion dates of the whole project match the contract dates.
2. Check that the assigned durations are realistic.
3. Review the logical relationships between the activities.
4. Look through the critical path and check what activities are critical.
5. Check to see if the schedule covers the required scope of work.
6. Check whether the cost and resources are assigned properly.

Methods that are commonly used to analyze delays:

Delay analysis can be undertaken:

 Prospectively: Predicting what effect the delay will have on the project’s progress, prospective
analysis can be used before and after the effect of the delay has occurred.
 Retrospectively: Retrospective techniques evaluate the effect that the delay will have on the
project but they can only be applied once the works have been completed.
 Contemporaneously: During the delay.
1. As Planned vs. As Built Method: The as-planned vs. as-built analysis is a simple technique
used to compare the baseline or as-planned schedule to the as-built schedule or a schedule
update reflecting progress. This method compares planned start and finish dates with the actual
start and finish dates of activities on the as-planned critical and near-critical paths. This
identifies delayed starts, extended durations and late finishes. This method is most effective on
simple projects with short durations and one clear critical path that remains consistent
throughout the entire project. Its accuracy diminishes as the actual critical path deviates from
the planned schedule.
 2. Impacted as Planned Method: The impacted as-planned analysis involves the insertion of
delay events into a baseline or as-planned schedule to determine the hypothetical impact of
such events. This method involves modifying the baseline or as-planned schedule to include new
activities and logic to represent delay events. The difference between the project completion
date in the impacted as-planned schedule and the original as-planned schedule quantifies the
delay. This methodology is simple and does not require an as-built schedule. However, it is
considered a hypothetical model as it does not rely on as-built data.
3. Collapsed As Built Method: The collapsed as-built analysis is essentially the opposite of an
impacted as-planned analysis. This method involves removing delay events from the as-built
schedule to determine when the project should have been completed ‘but for’ the delay events.
This methodology is easy to understand and does not require an as-planned schedule or
contemporaneous schedule updates. However, it can be manipulated with the insertion of after-
the fact logic ties and delay events.
4. Window Analysis Method: The windows analysis is a retrospective technique that divides the
total project duration into smaller periods (commonly referred to as “windows”), and quantifies
the as-built critical path delays for each of these periods. This form of analysis compares the
baseline or as-planned schedule’s forecasted critical path to the as-built schedule, reflecting the
as-built conditions for each selected period. This method typically relies upon the schedules in
their contemporaneous state of submission (“as-is”). The windows analysis is easy to calculate
and understand. It identifies delays as well as acceleration quantities and considers real-time
conditions and actual construction progress. However, the windows analysis is time-consuming,
requires complete project records and depends on a reliable baseline or as-planned schedule
and as-built performance information.
5. As Built Method:
6. Time Impact Analysis: The time impact analysis (TIA) is a comprehensive technique used to
analyze each delay event individually in chronological order to calculate its impact. This
methodology quantifies each delay based on the schedule immediately before and after the
delay event took place. The difference between the project completion date before and after
the event determines the extent of the delay. TIA does not require an as-built schedule and is
typically easy and quick to perform. This technique is widely accepted when used during the
project to timely resolve delayed performance. However, it is considered a hypothetical model
as it does not rely on as-built data, and it can be overwhelming to perform if there are
numerous delay events.
7. Contemporaneous method:

Several factors must be considered when selecting a delay analysis methodology including, but not
limited to:

 Contractual requirements.
 Source data availability.
 Budget.
 Time allowed for the analysis and size of the dispute.