Network Analysis in PERT & CPM

Network Logic

Some of the terms commonly used in networks are defined below.

1. Activity:

It is physically identifiable part of a project which requires time and resources for its execution. An activity is
represented by arrow and tail of which represents the start and finish of the activity.

2. Event:

The beginning and end points of an activity are called events or nodes. Event is a point in time and does not
consume any resources. The head event, called the jth event, has always number higher than the tail event, called
the ith event.

Activity
i j

Event Event

3. Dummy Activity

An activity which only determines the dependency of one activity on the other, but does not consime any time is
called a dummy activity.

To illustrate dummy activity refer to following figures and assume that the start of activity C depends upon the
completion of activities A and B and that the start of activity E depends only on the completion of activity B.

A A C
C

D (Dummy Activity)
B E

B E

A dummy activity is introduced in the network for two basic reasons:

1. To maintain the precise logic of the precedence of activities. Such a dummy is called ‘logical dummy’.
2. To comply with the rule that no two activities can have the same tail and head events. Such a dummy is
called ‘grammatical dummy’. In below example both the activities A and B have the same tail event 10
and same head events. Such activities are called duplicate activities. This difficulty is resolved by the
introduction of dummy actinvity in any of the four ways as shown below:
 Critical Path Method
The critical path of a network gives the shortest time in which the whole project can be completed. The objective
of CPM is to estimate the total project duration and to assign starting and finishing times to all activities involved
in the project. This helps in checking actual progress against the schedule duration of the project.

Consider the following notations for the calculating various times of events and activities.

Ei =earliest occurance time of event ,i .is the earliest time at which an event can occure without affecting the project time

Li=latest occurance time of event ,i .is thelatest time at which an event can occure without affecting the project time

ESij =earliest start time for activity , ( i, j ) .is the time at which theactivity can start without affecting the project time

LSij =latest start time for activity , ( i , j ) .is the latest possible time by which the activity must start (LF ij −t ij )

EF ij =earliest finishtime for activity , ( i , j ) .is the earliest possible time at which an activity can finish ( ESij +t ij ¿

LF ij=latest finish time for activity , (i , j ) .isthe latest time by which an activity must get completed

1. Total Float:

The total float of an activity represents the amount of time by which an activity can be delayed without delay in
project completion date. In other words, it refers to the amount of the free time associated with an activity which
can be used before, during or after the performance of this activity.

It is difference between the maximum time available to perform the activity and the activity duration.

Total Float = LSij −¿ ES ij

2. Free Float:

Free float is that portion of the total float within which an activity can be manipulated without affecting the float
of subsequent activities.

Free Float = Total Float−¿ Slack of head event

3. Independent Float

Independent float is that portion of the total float within which an activity can be delayed for start without
affecting the float of preceeding activities.

Independent Float = Total Float−¿ Slack of tail event

Problem No. 1

Draw the network for the following activities and calculate floats

Activity 1-2 1-3 2-3 2-5 3-4 3-6 4-5 4-6 5-6 6-7
Duration 15 15 3 5 8 12 1 14 3 14
(Weeks)
ProblemNo.2

Tasks A,B,C,….,H,I constitute a project. The precedence relationship is

A<D, A<E, B<F, D<F, C<G, C<H, F<I, G<I

Draw a network to represent the project and find the minimum time of completion of the project when time, in
days, of each tasks is as follows:

Task A B C D E F G H I
Time 8 10 8 10 16 17 18 14 9
Also identify the critical path.

Problem No. 3

A project schedule has the following activities:

Activity Time (weeks) Activity Time (weeks)

1-2 4 5-6 4
1-3 1 5-7 8
2-4 1 6-8 1
3-4 1 7-8 2
3-5 6 8-10 5
4-9 5 9-10 7
(i) Construct the network
(ii) Compute E and L for each event, and
(iii) Find the critical path.

Problem No. 4

The utility data for a network are given below. Determine the total, free and independent floats and identify the
critical path.

Activity 0-1 1-2 1-3 2-4 2-5 3-4 3-6 4-7 5-7 6-7
Duration 2 8 10 6 3 3 7 5 2 8
(Weeks)

Problem No. 5

Estimated times for the jobs of a project are given below:

Job A B C D E F G H I J K L
Time 13 5 8 10 9 7 7 12 8 9 4 17
(Weeks)
The constraints governing the jobs are as follows:

A and B are start jobs, A controls C, D and E, B controls F and J, G depends upon C, H depends on D, E and F
controls I and L, K follows J, L is also controlled by K; G,H,I and L are the last jobs. Draw the network, determine
project duration and the critical path.

Problem No. 6 (1999)

For the below set of activities, as given in the table and their successor relationship construct a network, identify
the critical path and perform a complete float analysis. The duration of the activity is in days.
Activity A B C D E F G H I J
Days 8 7 6 8 4 8 5 6 6 10
Successo C D,E,F G G H I J J J --
r
Problem No. 7

Draw a network to represent the project and find the minimum time of the completion of the project, when time
in days for each task is given. The precedence relation & other information is given in table below:

Activity A B C D E F G H I
Days 8 10 8 10 16 17 18 14 9
Predecessor -- -- -- A A B,D C C F,G
s

Problem No. 8

Activities of a project are described below in table. Calculate the following,

1. Total time for completing the project

2. Critical path
3. ES, EF, LS, LF time for all activities.
4. Total Float and Free Float available for non-critical activities.

Activity A B C D E F G H
Days 3 1 2 7 8 3 1 2
Predecessor -- A A,B -- A,D B E,F D
s