LECTURE NO.

7
CONSTRUCTION
PLANNING NETWORKS
Review of Lecture No. 6:
Construction Planning Techniques
 Planning Techniques discussed:
 Bar Charts (Gantt Charts)
 S-Curve
 Line of balance
 Time chainage Charts
 Critical Path Method (CPM)
 Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
 Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
 Note: A more detailed treatment of these may be done
towards the end of the semester.
Coverage – Lecture No. 7
 Introduction to Planning Networks;
 Steps and Procedures of Preparing planning
networks;
 AOA Networks;
 AON Networks
 Introduction
 Critical Path Method (CPM) or Critical Path
Analysis or activity on the arrow diagram started to
be used after Bar charts failure in highlighting the
activity interdependencies.
 An activity is a unit of work in the project schedule.
An activity is a scheduled phase in a project plan
with a distinct beginning and end. An activity usually
contains several tasks upon completion of which the
whole activity is completed. Several activities can be
combined to form a summary activity.
Sample Activity on the Arrow
Network

A construction project cab be modelled by the activity

network shown above
Introduction (Contd..)
 The concept involves development of a network
showing interdependencies of activities and
particularly showing the chain of the critical
activities.
 Another version is the Precedence Diagram
Method (PDM) which uses activity on the node
approach.
Sample Precedence Diagramming
Method (PDM)
Uses of Planning Networks
 For all jobs which are too complicated to be
planned by any other method e.g. complex
buildings;
 Where precise planning method is required; and
 For any job where the dependencies between
operations are important.
Advantages of Planning Networks
 Shows the activity relationship at a glance;
 Picks out the critical activities;
 Minimizes the possibility of omitting items;
 Shows the effect of delays on following activities;
and
 Is a good method for communication.
Disadvantages of Planning Networks

 Not easy to read unless plotted to a time scale;

 Poor for repetitive jobs and process type jobs;
 Poor for jobs for which a time location chart is
good.
Hints for preparation of Networks
 If you need to schedule manually, combine any
activity which has a duration of less than 1-2% of
the contract duration.
 Use the activity durations as given below
Duration in Maximum Contract
Period
Months No Maximum
Weeks 2 years
Half Weeks 1 year
Days 3 Months
 Steps in Producing the Network
 List the activities (preferably based on WBS or
similar);
 Producing the network showing the logical relationship
between activities;
 Assessing the duration of each activity, producing a
schedule, and determining the start and finish times of
each activity and the float available;
 Assessing the resources required; and
 Determine the Critical Path.
Network Analysis
 In producing a bar – chart the previous point 2 and
3 are taken in one step and therefore in complex
projects the various alternatives are unlikely to be
considered.
Network Analysis (Contd..)
 Two popular forms of network analysis
 Activity on the arrow ; and
 Activity on the node – Precedence diagram
 Finish
Start event
event
Install Motor
i j

Event i = start installing motor ; Event j = complete

installing motor; Activity i – j = Install Motor

Activity A Acivity B
Activity on the Arrow
 Steps in preparing are as mentioned above
1. Listing the activities
2. Producing a logical network of activities:
 Activity represented by an arrow
 Length of arrow is irrelevant unless the network is
drawn to a time scale.
Activity on the Arrow (contd..)
 Questions to ask yourself in order to check that a
correct logic is maintained:
 Which activities must be complete before this
activity starts?
 Which activities cannot start until this activity is
complete?
 Which activities have no logical relationship with
this activity and can therefore take place at the same
time?
Activity on the Arrow (contd..)
 At times it might be necessary to introduce dummy
arrows, drawn as broken lines which do not
represent any activity but are simply a logical link.
 Definition: A dummy activity is one that is used to
maintain the pre-defined precedence relationship
only during the construction of the project network,
is called a dummy activity
Activity on the Arrow (Contd..)
 Identifying the activities :
 The points where arrows start and finish are called
events. The numbering of these events provides a
method of identification.
Sample use of dummy activities
 Finish
Start event event
Install Motor
i j

Event i = start installing motor ; Event j = complete

installing motor; Activity i – j = Install Motor

A B

1 2 3

Activities A and B are consecutive; B can

only start when A is completed
 A C
3 4
1

B
2

Activities A and B are proceed independently

but the start of activity c can only commence
when both A and B are completed
 A B
2 3
1

Activities B and C can proceed

independently but neither can start until
A is completed
 A C
3 4
1

D
B
5

Activities C and D cannot start

until both A and B are completed
 A B
4 5
1

C D
3 6
2

Activity D can only start after Activity C is

completed. Activity B cannot start until A and
C are completed. B becomes dependent of C
because of the introduction of the dummy
which forms activity 3-4
Overlapping Activities: Activity B – which is
fixing rails does not need to wait until Activity A –
Laying Sleepers is completed- actually after a
certain distance of sleepers has been fixed, the
fixing of rails can start.

3 A3
A2
B3
A1 5 6
1 2

B1 4 B2
Overlapping Activities: the use of lead and lag times

Dig
Trench
1 3
Lead Lag

Lay pipe and

Test
2 4
Lead Lag

Backfill
5 6
Construction of a Network
 Maintain a numbering system in which each
activity has a unique i-j humber;
 To that it may be necessary to introduce a dummy-
for example in the Figure below Activities B, C and
D have the same i-j numbers i.e. 2-3, and in this
case it is necessary to introduce a dummy to ensure
that each activity has a unique i-j number.
 Dummy activities 3-5 and 4-5 introduced each with
a duration of 0
Use of Dummies B

A C E
1 2 3 4
D

B 3 Dummy

A C E
1 2 5 6
D Dummy
4
Use of Dummies

Build Construc
Walls t Roof

Make Install
Window Window
Frames Frames
Use of Dummies
Build Construc
Walls t Roof
1 4

Make 3
Window Install
Frames Window
Frames
2

5
Use of Dummies – Dummy activity 3-4 introduced

Build Construc
Walls t Roof
1 3 5

Make Install
Window Window
Frames Frames
2 4 6
Summary of Guidelines for drawing
the arrow -network
 Each activity is shown by a single arrow;
 The network is not drawn to scale;

 No activity can start until all preceding

activities have been completed

 Before joining the arrows- ask three questions

 What activities must precede this one?

 What activities can follow this one?
 What activities can be done simultaneously
Summary of Guidelines for drawing
the arrow -network
 Number the network in such a way that the
event numbers always increase as you go from
the start event to the last
 Avoid looping

 Point all arrows ahead.

Summary of Guidelines for drawing
the arrow -network
 Each activity must have a preceding and
following activity except the first and the last
i.e. no danglers;
 Use dummies to show correct dependencies

between events to avoid more than one

activity having the same set of events i.e. no
duplicated activities
 Use minimum number of dummies
Common Errors in Network Programming:
DANGLING ERROR – e.g. activity 2-4 is left
“dangling” as is not the last activity in the
network. Similarly activity 5-6 is left dangling
6
B 3
A C E
1 2 5 7
D
4
Common Errors in Network Programming:
Looping (Cycling) error results where there is an
endless loop and you can not progress beyond it

B 5
A C E
1 2 6 7

3 4
Common Errors in Network Programming:
Redundancy Error – dummy activity 2-4 is
unnecessary as it is not needed for network logic

B 3
C
A E
1 2 4 7
Time Analysis and the Critical Path
 Key question for any project- How long will the
project take?
 Once durations have been given to each activity, on
overall time can be calculated by using the forward
pass.
Time analysis and the Critical Path
Determination of Duration of Activity
 The time required for each activity needs to be
estimated; the estimate of duration will be based
on knowledge of the work, experience, records and
work study. or
 Activity Duration = Man days/crew or
 Activity Duration = Quantity of work to be
done/output of resources
 Calculation of earliest completion time – Forward
Pass
Method Statement
 Estimation of duration and resources required.
 Refer SC 401 by Dr. Mlinga
 7 7
1 5
C- 2 4
2

D- 6
A- 1

B- 7 E- 5 F- 3
1 3 5 6

0 0 7 7 13 13 16 16

0 Earliest Event Time TE

0 Latest Event Time TE

Activity on the Arrow (Contd..)
 Where two paths merge – the longest path
determines the earliest possible time of the
event.
Activity on the Arrow (Contd..)
 The reverse process – Backward Pass determines
the latest possible time for the event.
 Latest possible time = latest possible time for each
activity finishing without delaying the completion
date of the project.
Activity on the Arrow (Contd..)
 After completing the forward and backward passes
the Earliest and latest times of each activity can be
calculated.
 From this float (free/spare time) available for each
activity can be calculated.
Activity on the Arrow (Contd..)
 Critical activities = activities with no float and their
earliest and latest time of start event coincide. i.e.
the time difference between the start event and
finish event = duration of the activity
Definitions of important terms
 Earliest time of start event
 = earliest possible time the activity can
start.
 Latest time of finish event
 = latest time the activity can finish without
delaying the completion of the project
Definitions of important terms
 Latest time of start event
 = latest time a preceding activity may
finish
 Earliest time of finish event
 = earliest time that a succeeding
activity may start.
Float
 The spare time available on non-
critical activities is called float
 Critical activities have zero float
Float

 Total float = total amount of time

by which the activity could be
extended or delayed and still not
interfere with the project end
date.
Float
 Total float =
 total available time for activity LESS

duration.
 the latest time of the finish event LESS

the earliest time of the start event less

the duration.
Float
 Free float =
 amount of time by which an activity could
be extended or delayed without interfering
with the succeeding activity.
 earliest time of the finish event less the
earliest time of the start event less the
duration
Float
 Difference between total float and
free float = interfering float. i.e.
amount of total float shares by
the succeeding activity
 Start Finish
TEi Event TLi TEj event
TLj

Activity Duration Total Float

Activity Duration Free Float

Activity Independent
Duration Float
 Start Finish
TEi Event TLi TEj event
TLj

Activity Duration Total Float =

(y) TLj – TEi - y
 Start Finish
TEi Event TLi TEj event
TLj

Activity Duration Free Float =

(y) TE j – T E i - y
 Start Finish
TEi Event TLi TEj event
TLj

Activity Independent Float

Duration =
(y) TEj – TLi - y
 7 7
1 5
C- 2 4
2

D- 6
A- 1

B- 7 E- 5 F- 3
1 3 5 6

0 0 7 7 13 13 16 16

0 Earliest Event Time TE

0 Latest Event Time TE

 Time Analysis and the Critical Path
Activity Duration Start Finish Float
ES LS EF LF TF FF IF
1-2 1 0 0 1 5 4 0 0
1-3 7 0 0 7 7 0 0 0
2-4 2 1 5 7 7 4 4 0
3-4 0 7 7 7 7 0 0 0
3-5 5 7 7 13 13 1 1 1
4-5 6 7 7 13 13 0 0 0
5-6 3 13 13 16 16 0 0 0
Lecture No. 7 Continued
Precedence Diagrams
 An alternative form of a network;
 It shows which activities take precedence over the
others;
 Precedence diagramming allows more flexibility in
modelling relationships than i-j diagramming.
 I-j method allows only one kind of logical
relationship between activities: i.e., a preceding
activity must be complete before any succeeding
activity can begin.
 PDM in contrast, employs four logical relationships
between activities. The PDM method can also use the
concept of lag (days between) activities to further
create a flexible scheduling tool. The four logical
relationships used by PDM are:
 1) Finish-to-Start (FS) (Similar to AoA)
 2) Start-to-Start (SS)
 3) Finish-to-Finish (FF)
 4) Start-to-Finish (SF) (very rarely found in
construction schedules)
Comparison between A-O-A and
A-O-N
 In A-o-A networks, activities are shown by arrows
and events are shown by nodes. However, in
precedence diagrams, also known as A-o-N
networks, activities are shown on the nodes and
arrows denote the relationships.
ADM and PDM Comparisons…
ADM and PDM Comparisons…
ADM and PDM Comparisons…
ADM and PDM Comparisons…
Exercise 1:
Exercise: Change the following ADM into its
PDM equivalent
Answer:
Exercise 2
 Perform forward & backward passes on the AOA
network
Exercise 3: Performs forward and backward
passes and compare with previous results
 End