Project Control:

Developing the As-Planned

S-Curves
Part #2
8/31/16
Hide/Unhide Exercises

Purpose
Illustrate how to develop a set of AsPlanned S-Curves from scheduling
information and estimates
developed sometime before actual
construction operations begin.
Review the conceptual design
estimating process to the extent
necessary to set the context.

Learning Objectives
Be able to construct an as-planned
schedule of work and cost versus
elapsed time from a typical (but
simplified) construction project Gantt
Chart.
Be able to plot and identify the as
Planned S-Curves best representing
these schedules.

Planned Gantt Chart? And

When?
It depends upon what part of the
process is in question.
We are going to assume that the Gantt
Chart is developed by the Contractor to
plan construction operations.
We are going to assume that the
schedule data are generated sometime
before the onset of actual field
operations.

Example Construction
Project
The project is to reconstruct 2-miles of
park access road conforming to Texas
FM-Road standards. This involves the
following tasks:
1.
2.

3.
4.

Mobilization Equipment, office set up,

etc.
Sub-base preparation hauling, grading
and compaction, redo of some culverts,
etc.
Base course construction hauling,
grading and compaction.
Wearing Course construction shoot and
chip

#2.1 on Construction
Methods.
Ask Selected Individuals or Pairs to
answer the following:
What is Base Material and what is its
purpose in the design of the road?
How is the Base built?
What is shoot and chip?
What is Pea Gravel?
What is the design profile of a FM Road?

Project Task Duration and

Cost Data
Task
1 Mobilization
2 Sub Base
3 Base
4 Pave
5 Demobilization

Days
1
10
11
4
2

$$/Day
1,000
3,500
51,000
25,000
1,000

Assume:
All labor, material and equipment cost estimates
are available from the estimating process.
Maximum Task overlap with a 1-day minimum
delay on an early start schedule.

Assumed Estimating
Process
The entire project is broken into Work Packages (work
breakdown structure): build base, shoot and chip, etc.
Estimated unit quantities for each work package are
calculated from the plans and specifications at an
appropriate level of detail.
The corresponding unit prices and productivity rates are
obtained from historical data We will use the R. S.
Means manual in this class.
Work Package (or Task or Activity) durations and costs
are derived from the historical data as applied to the
estimates.
These data serve as inputs to the scheduling process
which result in Bar-Charts similar to the one on the next
slide.

Class Exercise 2.2

As individuals describe the crew
(equipment and personnel)
configuration necessary to construct
the base course.
As Pairs agree upon the
configuration.
As a Team, estimate the hourly cost
rate.

Example Gantt Chart with

Related S-Curve % Data
2

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

S
B

S
B

S
B

S
B

S
B

S
B

S
B

S
B

B
S

B
S

100%

100%

100%

100%

28

93%

96%

100%

100%

1,000

96%

1
89%

25,000

92%

2
86%

25,000

82%

2
79%

75,000

71%

2
71%

75,000

63%

2
64%

54,000

55%

2
57%

54,000

47%

2
50%

54,000

40%

2
43%

54,000

32%

2
36%

54,000

24%

2
29%

54,000

16%

2
21%

54,000

9%

2
14%

54,000

1%

1
7%

54,000

0%

4,000

1,000

693,000

S
B

1,000

1
M

4%

Cumulative
Cost in $$'s

ES
1
2
3
12
16

Cummulativ
e Work Units

$$/Day
$ 1,000
$ 4,000
$ 50,000
$ 25,000
$ 1,000

Daily Cost

Days
1
10
11
4
2

Daily Work

Task
M
S
B
S
D

Simplifying assumptions: All work is equally weighted where 1 day

equals 1 unit of work. Daily work accomplished is NOT a function of daily
cost.

Class Exercise #2.3

As Individuals, compute the
number of cubic yards of base
material required to build 2-miles
of FM Road base, 24-feet wide, and
1-foot thick?
As Pairs, compare answers and
then compute the linear feet of
daily progress, if you can build
2,700 sq-yds of base per day?

all this
Imply?
The relationship
between time and cost
and time and work.
For example, at the
end of day 8 you plan
to have completed
50% of the Work and to
have spent 47% of the
Budget.

Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Cost % Work %
0%
4%
1%
7%
9%
14%
16%
21%
24%
29%
32%
36%
40%
43%
47%
50%
55%
57%
63%
64%
71%
71%
82%
79%
92%
86%
96%
89%
100%
93%
100%
96%
100%
100%

Corresponding As-Planned
S-Curves
100%

200%

90%

180%

80%

160%

70%

140%

60%

120%

50%

100%

40%

80%

30%

60%

20%

40%

10%

20%

0%

0%
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Schedule in Days

Cumulative Work

Note: The
relationship
between
the scales.
There is a
reason
to make
room for
the
As-Built
S-Curves

Cummulative Cost

As Planned S-Curves

Exercise #2.4
Individually, using
engineering paper,
plot the S-Curves
for these data,
label the axes, the
curves, and the
plot.
Turn in your work
before you leave.

Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Cost % Work %
0%
4%
1%
7%
9%
14%
16%
21%
24%
29%
32%
36%
40%
43%
47%
50%
55%
57%
63%
64%
71%
71%
82%
79%
92%
86%
96%
89%
100%
93%
100%
96%
100%
100%

Module Assessment
Question
If you had to ask a question about
this topic, what would it be?