JEROME JORDAN F.

FAMADICO
2011
Construction Planning, Scheduling, Estimating
Friday/ 6-9 PM

March

25,

ADVANTAGES OF THE CRITICAL PATH METHOD

The Critical Path Method is a planning and scheduling method which utilizes a
network diagram to show all job operations in the sequential fashion necessary for
orderly completion. And according to Engineering Author, Richard H. Clough, The
network diagram portrays, in simple and direct form, the complex time relationship
and constraints among the various segments of a project. It has the tremendous
advantage of easily accommodating modifications, refinements, and corrections. It
provides project manager with the following invaluable time-control devices: 1.)
Provides a mean to predict with reasonable accuracy the time required for overall
project completion. 2.) Make possible the identification of those activities whose
expedient execution is crucial to timely project completion. 3.) Serves as a guide for
project shortening when the completion date must be advanced. 4.) Provides a
basis for the scheduling of subcontractors and material deliveries to the job site. 5.)
Serves as a basis for balanced scheduling of manpower and construction equipment
on the project. 6.) Makes possible the rapid evaluation of alternative construction
methods. 7.) Serves as a convenient vehicle for progress reporting and recording.
8.) Affords a basis for evaluating the time effects of construction changes and
delays.
Uses of CPMs in Claims
CPMs are especially helpful for claims and change orders arising from time related
problems, such as delays, suspensions or accelerations. Changes that add (or
delete) work may also have a time impact on the contract. To best analyze the
effect of such situations the CPM is the most often used tool to measure the relative
impact of different time factors. The use of CPMs as a valid frame of reference is
frequently accepted by the boards and courts, so long as the particular CPM has
been established as realistic.
CPM schedules are necessarily grounded in pragmatic considerations which govern
all activity in the real world of construction. They must therefore be evaluated on
light of certain basic principles which affect major construction projects. Some of
these pragmatic considerations are:
1. A CPM is only good as the information it is based. There was a tendency during
the early days of CPM to view this scheduling device as a guarantee that the project
would be built on schedule. Contractors have learned through experience that
fallacious logic or duration estimates will not be transformed into correct logic or
estimated simply because the are contained in a computer printout.
2. On most building construction the work sequence of the various trades occurs
over and over again throughout the project. Further , since follow-on trades do not
wait for the initial trades to complete their work for the entire building prior to

commencing the follow-on work, different areas of the project are at different stages
completion within the sequence of work.
3. On most major construction projects there are essential installations which must
receive extra attention even when these installations are not reflected on the
critical path
4. Timely completion of most projects requires the establishment of flow and
momentum. The speed of the installation of various trades is substantially affected
by the rhythm of a project.
The examples of pragmatic considerations discussed above point out that the
contractor must exercise good judgment in interpreting the information revealed on
a CPM schedule.
Obstacles to use of CPMs
Contractors have historically resisted CPMs, not because they find fault with the
theory, but because of numerous administrative problems. First, it forces the
contractor to study his operation in detail with careful planning of sequences.
Second, since CPM is a logical sequence, and since it details task durations, obvious
errors can easily be spotted. Third, a written schedule puts the contractors
operation on the line for all to see, and what was composed as an estimated
schedule becomes a tool or weapon for self-serving purposes of all involved.
Applications to Claims
More often than not, the CPM schedule will aid the project manager when he must
file claims. A good CPM is worth a thousand pictures and ten thousand letters. CPMs
are recognized by owners, engineers, contracting officers, boards and courts. It is
difficulty to counter the graphic display of delays on a CPM diagram. Once a delay is
plotted on the CPM, its impact can be seen on all subsequent activities. At this
point, the cost and time impacts resulting from a change order, suspension, delay or
disruption can be computed. This is the time to analyze and price all foreseeable
impact for a change order, as it is increasingly more difficult to receive payment for
impact once a change order is negotiated.
Application- Construction of the CPM
A CPM should be drawn up prudently. When the contractor makes up his schedule,
he should be as realistic as possible in planning. 1.) The original schedule in
accordance with the milestone dates in the contract documents. 2.) An earliest
possible finish date. 3.) Formulate method of measureing progress. Set up and
organize activities into measureable packages.
Pitfalls to avoid
These guidelines not only aid good construction management, but also are of great
value for successful claims documentation. Abnormal weather, change orders,

delays, strikes, and other job impacts are plotted on the CPM. Failure to prepare or
use the CPM properly can be cause to invalidate its use in substantiating a claim.
CPM presentation of the job is the single most important factor in determining the
acceptability of the Contractors CPM based claim.