Crashing Program 1

What is Project Crashing?

When we say that an activity will take a certain number of days or weeks, what we
really mean is this activity normally takes this many days or weeks. We could
make it take less time, but to do so would cost more money. Spending more
money to get something done more quickly is called “crashing.” There are various
methods of project crashing, and the decision to crash should only take place after
you’ve carefully analyzed all of the possible alternatives. The key is to attain
maximum decrease in schedule time with minimum cost.

“Project Crashing is reducing the total project time while minimizing the cost to do so”

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crashing Program 2

Who can use this tool?

Any project where timelines might be shortened

unexpectedly and costs need to be taken into
account
For example, Project Managers in:
Construction
Manufacturing
Software Development

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crashing Program 3

- Multiple-shift work

- Extended workdays

- Larger or more productive equipment

- Increasing craftspeople

- Alternate construction methods

Activities can be - Material with faster installation method

Crashed in
Multiple ways

Figure 6.1 Ways to Crash Activities on a Project

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Duration - Cost Analysis 4

Actual cost
Simplistic assumption

Simplistic actual

Number of craftspeople
assumption of cost

2000 8
Activity cost (RM)

1000

10 20 1 8

Number of craftspeople Duration (days)

Figure 6.2 Resource-Cost Relationship Figure 6.3 Resource-Duration Relationship

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 Duration - Cost Analysis 5

As can be seen from the actual cost line (Figure 6.2), when
the number of resources is doubled, the cost is more than
doubled. This is due to the fact that:
Typically, the least expensive resources or most
productive are first applied, but any resources applied
later are increasingly expensive or less productive

The typical assumption (Figure 6.3) is that the total amount

of work accomplished (a product of the rate of resource
application times the number of days) remains constant.

The line labeled “actual” illustrates the deviations from

this typical assumption

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 Duration - Cost Analysis 6

Among the causes of the differences between the typical and

actual is that:
It may not be possible to perform the activity with fewer
than two craftspeople
Applying more resources will not result in the same level
of productivity by all of those resources (see Fig.6.2).
Productivity sometimes declines as a result of the
potential crowding effect of putting too many resources
in a limited space.

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 Cost Increasing Factors 7

1. Overtime wage rate are more than a normal rates for the same
job.
Decreased efficiency of labour due to working long hours.
Decreased efficiency of labour due to crowding.
Decreased production due to equipment breakdowns.
Higher wages due to urgency of work.

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 Cost Increasing Factors 8

Example 6.0

Suppose that activity A is to construct one door.

Knowing that:
Construction one door needs 40 man-hours
Working hour per day = 8 hours
Carpenter wage (regular hours) = RM10.00/hour
Carpenter wage (overtime) = RM15.00/hour
Required:
To study the effect of crashing activity A by one day.

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 Cost Increasing Factors 9

Example 6.0

Solution:
Normal duration = 40 man-hours / 8 hours/day = 5days
Normal Cost = 40 hours x RM 10.00/hour = RM 400.00
In 4 days duration (Crashing by one day):
The carpenter will work 10 hours a day to finish the door in 4 days.
(8 regular hours + 2 hours overtime everyday.)
Crashed Cost = 4 days x 8 hour = 32 hours x RM10.00/hour = RM 320.00
+ 4 days x 2 hours overtime = 8 hours x RM 15.00/hour = RM120.00
= RM 440.00
The direct cost of activity A increased from RM400.00 to RM 440.00 by
decreasing activity duration (crashing) by one day.

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 Duration - Cost Analysis 10

Example 6.1

A subcontractor has the task of erecting 84,400 square feet

of metal siding. He can use several sizes of crew for its
erection, with various crew costs (including scaffolding).
The subcontractor expects production to vary with crew size
and has prepared the following estimates of production and
cost as in Table 6.1.

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 Duration - Cost Analysis 11

Table 6.1 Estimated Production with Various Crew Size

Estimated Daily Production Crew size/makeup

(square feet)

1300 4 (1 scaffolding set, 2 laborers, 1 carpenter,

1 carpenter foreman)
1660 5 (1 scaffolding set, 2 laborers, 2 carpenter,
1 carpenter foreman)
2040 6 (2 scaffolding set, 3 laborers, 2 carpenter,
1 carpenter foreman)
2300 7 (2 scaffolding set, 3 laborers, 3 carpenter,
1 carpenter foreman)

Laborer : RM12 per hour (8-hour day)

Carpenter : RM 16 per hour (8-hour day)
Carpenter foreman : RM 18 per hour (8-hour day)
Scaffolding set : RM 60 per day

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 Duration - Cost Analysis 12

Solution 6.1
To determine the duration for installing the metal siding
with each crew, the total quantity is divided by the
estimated daily production, for example:

84400
 64.9 days
1300

The cost can be determined by summing the daily costs of

labor and scaffolding and multiplying by the number of days
as in Table 6.2.

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 Duration - Cost Analysis 13

Table 6.2 Solution Example 6.1 – Estimated Cost with Various Crew Size
Crew Size Duration (days) Cost

4 84400 (use 65) RM 34,060

 64.9 days
1300
5 84400 (use 51) 33,252
 50.8 days
1660
6 84400 (use 42) 33,936
 41.4 days
2040

7 84400 (use 37) 34,632

 36.7 days
2300
Daily crew cost (crew size 4):
- 2 laborers RM12/hour x 8 hours = RM 192
- 1 carpenter RM16/hour x 8 hours = RM 128
- 1 foreman RM18/hour x 8 hours = RM 144
- scaffolding RM60/day = RM 60
RM 524/day
RM524 x 65 days = RM 34,060
Chapter 6 - Crashing Program
 Crash Program 14

Must be on the critical path

Precedes multiple activities Early in project (the sunshine

rule)

Criteria for
selecting
Long activities to crash Labor
duration intensive

Lower cost per period gained Subject to common problems

Figure 6.4 Criteria for Selecting Activities to Crash

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 15

Steps for crashing the project duration

Determine the project duration
Determine the total float for each activity
Determine the difference between crashed duration and
normal duration
Determine the difference between crashed cost and normal
cost
Calculate the cost slope per day for each activity
Rank the cost slope ascending
Start crashing the activity with the lowest rank (critical
activities)
Determine the project duration and total cost for a new
path
Repeat the steps above until the project duration is in
All Crash Point (ACP) condition
Chapter 6 - Crashing Program
 Graphics Explanation 16

Cost

Slope  CC  NC
B ND  CD
Crash Cost Crash point
(CC)

A
Normal Cost Normal point
(NC)
Duration
Crash time Normal time
(CD) (ND)

Figure 6.5 Relationship between Cost and Time in Crashing Process

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Graphics Explanation 17

Cost

E All Crash Point (ACP)

D Project Crash Point (PCP)

C
B Normal point
A
Duration

Figure 6.6 PCP and ACP in Crashing Process

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 Crash Program 18

Example 6.2
Using the information in Example 6.1, we can graph the
duration-cost relationships and determine the cost slopes
between the points (which could be done by changing the size
of crews for increments of time while working on the
activity).
Cost (RM)

C
34,632 S2

B
33,936 S1
A
33,252
Duration (days)
37 42 51
Chapter 6 - Crashing Program
 Crash Program 19

Solution 6.2

S  33936  33252  RM 76 / day

1 51 42

S2  34632  33936  RM 139.20/ day

42  37

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 Crash Program 20

Example 6.3

8
3
12

B D
3 2

0 A 5 C 14 E 18
1 2 4 5
0 5 14 4 18
5 9

Figure 6.7 Network for Example 6.3

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 21

Solution 6.3 5–4=1 150/2 = 75

Normal Crash duration 

Act. Duration (days) Cost Duration (days) Cost (days) cost Slope rank
(rm) (rm) (days) (Rm/day)

A 5 300 4 380 1 80 80 3*
B 3 240 2 340 1 100 100 4
C 9 630 7 780 2 150 75 2*
D 2 80 1 190 1 110 110 5
E 4 300 2 420 2 120 60 1*

*Critical Path : A – C - E

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 22
18 -2 = 16
Solution 6.3
16 -2 = 14

Crashed Activity Project Duration (days) Project Cost

(RM)

Normal Condition 18 1550

E - crash for 2 days 16 1670
C – crash for 2 days 14 1720
A – crash for 1 day 13 1800
B – crash for 1 day 13 1900
D – crash for 1 day 13 2110

Note: B and D are not critical and have float

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 23

Solution 6.3

ACP
2110

PCP
Project Cost (RM)

1900

A (NORMAL POINT)

Duration (days)
13 18

Figure 6.7 ACP and PCP for Example 6.3

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 24

Example 2

Normal
Duration Normal Cost Crash Duration Crash Cost
Activity (days) Predecessor (RM) (days) (RM)

A 5 - 400 3 600
B 4 - 400 3 520
C 2 A 300 1 450

D 4 A,B 400 3 420

E 6 C,D 200 5 250
F 2 E 200 1 275

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 25

Example 2
9,7
1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 5 5 5 9 9 17 17
2 6 15 15 2

B D

4 4

5 5

5,4

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 26

Λ Λ
Normal Crash Slope
Normal Cost Crash Duration Cost Rank
Activity Duration Cost (RM/day)
(RM) Duration (days) (RM)
(days) (RM)
(days)

A 5 400 3 600 2 200 100 4

B 4 400 3 520 1 120 120 5

C 2 300 1 450 1 150 150 6

D 4 400 3 420 1 20 20 1

E 6 200 5 250 1 50 50 2

F 2 200 1 275 1 75 75 3

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 27

Example 2 (D = from 4 days to 3 days)

1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 5 5 5 8 8 16 16
2 6 14 14 2

B D

4 3

5 5

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 28
Example 2 (D = from 4 days to 3 days) & E = from 6 days to 5 days

1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 5 5 5 8 8 15 15
2 5 13 13 2

B D

4 3

5 5

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 29

Example 2 (D, E & F = change the duration to crash program)

1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 5 5 5 8 8 14 14
2 5 13 13 1

B D

4 3

5 5

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 30

Example 2 (A, D, E & F = change the duration to crash program)

1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 3 3 4 7 7 13 13
2 5 12 12 1

B D

4 3

4 4

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 31

Example 2 (A, B, D, E & F = change the duration to crash program)

1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 3 3 3 6 6 12 12
2 5 11 11 1

B D

3 3

3 3

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 32

Example 2 (A, B, C, D, E & F = change the duration to crash program)

1 A 2 C 4 E 5 F 6

0 0 3 3 3 6 6 12 12
1 5 11 11 1

B D

3 3

3 3

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 33

Crashed Activity Project Duration (days) Project Cost

(RM)

Normal Condition 17 1900

D - crash for 1 days 16 1920

E – crash for 2 days 14 1970

F – crash for 1 day 13 2045

A – crash for 1 day 13 2245

B – crash for 1 day 12 2365

C – crash for 1 day 12 2515

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program

 Crash Program 34

Solution 6.3

ACP
2515
PCP
2365
Project Cost (RM)

A (NORMAL POINT)

Duration (days)
12 13 17

Figure 6.7 ACP and PCP for Example 6.3

Chapter 6 - Crashing Program