Birzeit University

civil engineering department

construction management CE532

Lecture 11: Planning and planning

techniques
 Project Planning
• Planning is the process of representing the project scope by
its identifiable components
• Is important for tendering purposes and for construction
• Planning Steps:
– Perform Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): breakdown
the project into definable & measurable work tasks
(activities), subtasks, and work packages
– Establish the logical relationships among these tasks
(activities)
– Draw the project’s network
 Characteristics of a good plan
• Be based on clearly defined objectives
• Provide an appropriate work breakdown structure
• Allocate responsibility clearly
• Provide detailed targets/ objectives/ establish standards
• Be appropriate
• Be practicable
• Be flexible
• Be definite
• Be orderly
• Provide continuity of work
• Provide a balance of work where possible
• Exploit existing resources to the maximum
• Have consulted with all interested parties and approval
obtained
• …..
 the cost of planning
• an optimum exists in the economic return
achieved by investing in project planning
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
– Logical hierarchical decomposition of the project with different levels of detail
– The smallest element in the decomposition is the “Activity” or “Task”.
– The WBS elements at various levels relate to the contractor’s “Project
Organizational Structure”, which defines the different responsibility levels (see
figure in next slides)
– Work packages are tied to the company unified code of accounts and the
databases of resources, unit costs, and productivity data
– Planners can use the “MasterFormat” Specifications developed by the
construction Specifications Institute (CSI), which includes almost all activities
(tasks) that may be encountered in building construction
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
Example 1:

The activity of installing columns formwork of Area 2, for

example, which is the responsibility of the general
contractor’s formwork foreman, has a unique code that
represents all its data. This activity has a quantity of 1200
m2, an estimated duration of five days, an estimated cost
of $1200, and an expected productivity of 20 m2/hr.
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
Example 1:
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
Example 2:
Building
Project

Floors
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
• An Activity is a unique unit of a project which can be described within prescribed limits of time
• Types of Activities:
– Production Activities: are activities that require the use of resources such as labors, materials, and
equipment, or subcontractors. This type can be easily identified by reading the project’s drawings and
specifications. Each production activity has a quantity of work, resources needs, cost, and duration.
Examples: excavation, formwork, concreting, backfilling, etc.
– Procurement Activities: are activities that specify the time needed to procure for materials and/or
equipment needed for any production activity
– Management Decision Activities: activities that are related to management decisions such as vacations,
approvals, special delays, etc.
– Hammock Activities: activities that depend on other activities and are not needed for themselves.
Example: dewatering, which is required as long as excavation and subsurface activities are progressing
– Dummy Activities: activities needed for presentation purposes to maintain the logical relationships among
activities. They consume no time. This type of activities is explained later in detail.
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
Example Project:
Initial Activity List:

Activity Description
A Site Clearing
B Removal of Trees
C Excavation for Foundations
D Site Grading
E Excavation for Utility Trenches
F Placing formwork & Reinforcement
G Installing sewer lines
H Pouring concrete
Project Planning
Planning Steps:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
Example Project:
Preliminary Activity List:

Activity Description
A Site Clearing
B Removal of Trees
C Excavation for Foundations
D Site Grading Production
E Excavation for Utility Trenches Activities
F Placing formwork & Reinforcement
G Installing sewer lines
H Pouring concrete
J Obtain formwork & reinforcing steel
K Obtain sewer lines Material
Additional L Obtain concrete Procurement
Activities M Steelworker availability Activities
Labor Procurement
Activity
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
2. Identify Logical Relationships Among Activities:

– What activity(ies) can finish before the current one can start?
– What activity(ies) may be constructed concurrently with the current one?
– What activity(ies) must follow the current one?
– Remove redundant activity(ies).
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
2. Identify Logical Relationships Among Activities:
Activity List with Dependencies:

Activity Description Depends Upon

A Site Clearing -----
B Removal of Trees -----
C Excavation for Foundations A
D Site Grading A, B, C
E Excavation for Utility Trenches A, B, C
F Placing formwork & Reinforcement B, C, J, M
G Installing sewer lines B, C, D, E, K
H Pouring concrete D, E, F, G, L
J Obtain formwork & reinforcing steel -----
K Obtain sewer lines -----
L Obtain concrete -----
M Steelworker availability -----
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
2. Identify Logical Relationships Among Activities:
Removing Redundant Relationships:

Activity Depends Upon Immediately Preceding

Activity (IPA)
A ----- -----
B A A
C A, B B

A B C

Redundant
Relationship
 Project Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Drawing the Project Network:
Activity List After Removing Redundant Relationships:

Activity Description Depends Upon

A Site Clearing -----
B Removal of Trees -----
C Excavation for Foundations A
D Site Grading A, B, C
E Excavation for Utility Trenches A, B, C
F Placing formwork & Reinforcement B, C, J, M
G Installing sewer lines B, C, D, E, K
H Pouring concrete D, E, F, G, L
J Obtain formwork & reinforcing steel -----
K Obtain sewer lines -----
L Obtain concrete -----
M Steelworker availability -----
Project Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network:

Activity
55 10
10
– Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)

Activity
Activity Activity
Activity
A
A B
B
– Activity-on-Node (AON)

Activity
Activity Activity
Activity
C
C D
D
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Arrow (AOA):
Node Node
(Event) i (Event) j
Activity Name Activity A
55 10
10 j>i 55 10
10

Each activity should have a unique i – j value

a) Independent Activities

A B
55 10
10 15
15 B depends on A

b) Dependent Activities
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Arrow (AOA):

55 A
C
B 15
15 20
20 C depends on A & B
10
10

c) A Merge Relationship

B 15
15
A
55 10
10 B depends on A
C C depends on A
20
20
d) A Burst Relationship
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Arrow (AOA):

55 A C 20
20
C depends on A & B
B 15
15 D D depends on A & B
10
10 25
25

e) A Cross Relationship
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Arrow (AOA):
Dummy Activities:
– Each activity should have a unique i - j value: Dummy 10
10
A A
55 10
10
55 B 15
B 15
a) Incorrect Representation b) Correct Representation

– Activity C depends on activities A & B. Activity D depends on Activity B only

A C
5
5 A 10
10 20
20 30
30
C 20
20
B 15
15 D Dummy
10
10 25
25 B D
55 15
15 25
25

a) Incorrect Representation b) Correct Representation

 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Arrow (AOA):
L

J
25
25
F
M H
15
15 40
40 45
45
G
B E
55 20
20 35
35
D
A C 30
10
10 30
K

AOA Representation
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Node (AON):
Activity number
Link 10
10 20
20
AA BB
Activity name

a) Independent Activities

10
10 Link 20
20
AA B
B depends on A
B

b) Dependent Activities
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Node (AON):
Activity number
Link 10
10 20
20
AA BB
Activity name

a) Independent Activities

10
10 Link 20
20
AA B
B depends on A
B

b) Dependent Activities
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Node (AON):
10
10
AA
30
30 40
40 C depends on A & B
CC DD D depends on C
20
20
BB

c) A Merge Relationship

30
30
CC
10
10 20
20 B depends on A
AA BB C depends on B
40
40 D depends on B
DD

d) A Burst Relationship
 Project
Planning
Planning Steps:
3. Draw the Project Network: Activity-on-Node (AON):

A
A D
D A
A D
D

Start
Start Finish
Finish
B
B Dummy
Dummy B
B Dummy
Dummy

C
C EE C
C EE

e) Start & Finish Dummy Activities

 Network Analysis( Precedence
Diagrammes, Critical Path Diagrams
3- Network Analysis (Critical Path)
– Networks show a project as a system of activities.
– There are a variety of presentations but it will be
concentrated here on the Precedence Diagram format
– This is just a simple flow chart with work flowing from left to
right of the presentation
• Conventions
– Each activity is shown as a square or rectangle (Circle or
egg-shapes are also used)
– Arrows show the dependency (or precedence) of activities
– Two types of notations can be used in the CPM:
• Circle or precedence notation (Activity on Node)
• Arrow notation (Activity on arrow)
 Activity on Node (AON)

• The node represent the activities themselves

and the links represent the logical sequence
that relate the activities to one another.

Relationship
Activity
Activity
A
B

Predecessor Successor
 Activity On Node Notation (typical)

• ES = Early Start ES EF
TF FF
• EF = Early Finish Name
• LS = Late Start Duration
LS LF
• LF = Late Finish
• TF = Total Float
• FF = Free Float
 Activity on Arrow (AOA)

• each activity is shown as a link or

arrow and the connection between the
links and thus the element showing the
sequence of activities is a small node or
circle
T iE T iL T jE T jL
tij
i j
Activity in arrow notation (typical):
• i = the event time at which the activity begin.
• j = the end time of the activity.
• TiE = the node i earliest time
• TiL = the node i latest time
• TjE = the node j earliest time
• TjL = the node j latest time
• tij = the duration of the activity.
 Network Diagram Rules
• Only one node at the start and one at the
finish.
• Every node should have at least one
predecessor and one successor (except for the
start and finish nodes)
• Arrows from left to right (prevent loops)
• Minimize crossing arrows
 Critical Path Calculations

• The objective of analyzing a project network is to:

1. Find the critical path that establishes the
minimum duration of the project.
2. Calculate the early start times for each activity.
3. Calculate the late start times for each activity.
4. Calculate the float, or time, available for delay for
each activity.
 Critical Path
• In scheduling, an activity is critical if delaying
that activity will cause the total project
duration to be extended.
• The critical path is the path of min total float
• Activities that are critical lie along the longest
path through the network.
• In order to determine the longest path, a
variety of methods have been used.
• The method we are going to study use two
algorithms:
1.Forward-pass algorithm to calculate the
earliest event times for each node and so the
minimum duration of the project
2.Backward-pass algorithm to calculate the
latest event times for each activity
• Both algorithms are required to determine the critical
path.
• Those activities for which the earliest and latest start
times are the same are critical since they can not be
delayed without causing a delay in the total project
completion time.
• Activities for which the earliest and latest start are not
the same can be delayed to a degree without delaying
the total project. The amount of delay is called float.
• So, the activity being delayed by it’s available float
will not impact the completion time of the project.
 1. Forward-Pass Algorithm
• The objective of the forward-pass algorithm is to calculate the
earliest point in time at which a given event can occur.
• The earliest event time for a given node is controlled by the
earliest event times of each of the set of events that precede it.
• The algorithm is given as follows:
all i

TEj = max {TEj + tij}

iєM
Where M is the set of all (i) events that immediately precede (j).
 Forward-Pass Algorithm
• Each (i) node plus the duration of the
associated activity, tij, which links it to the (j)
node, must be investigated.
• The maximum of the preceding (i) node early
event times plus the durations of the
appropriate activity (ij) controls the earliest
time at which a given event, (j), can occur.
 2. Backward-Pass Algorithm
• Knowing the earliest time of each activity is not
enough to know the critical path.
• In order to identify the critical set of activities that
constrain the project to the minimum duration, we
must apply the backward-pass algorithm.
• The backward-pass algorithm calculates the latest
time at which each event can occur.
• The latest event time for a node (i) is controlled by
the latest event times of the set of events that follow
it.
 2. Backward-Pass Algorithm
• The algorithm is given as follows: The late
event time of each (j) node minus the duration
of the associated activity, ij, must be
investigated.
• The minimum of the following (j) node late
event times minus the duration of activity (ij)
controls the latest time at which the (i) event
can occur.
 Identifying The Critical Path
• Critical events can be identified as the
activities that have equal early and late event
times.
• The critical path is formed from the path
passing through the critical activities.
• Critical path is the longest and at the same
time equals to the minimum project duration
calculated using the forward-pass algorithm.
• All other paths will have durations that are less
than the minimum project duration.
 Activity Float
• Activity Float: The number of days an activity can be delayed
without extending the project minimum duration.
• Float for critical activity = MIN FLOAT
• As a result, if an activity is critical, it cannot be delayed
without causing an extension of the project.
• There are four float types for activities.
• The four types are:
1. Total Float.
2. Free Float.
3. Interfering Float.
4. Independent Float.
• Three types of them have a practical interpretation within the
context of a construction project.
 Calculation of float
1- Total Float
– It equals to the maximum time that an activity
can be delayed without affecting the critical
path
– TF= LS- ES or LF-EF
ES LS EF LF

0
If some of an activities total float is
TF
used, the total float of a following 3 9
activity may be reduced 5 FF

Activity
6
8 14
 Free Float
• It is that amount of an activity’s TF that
can be used without reducing a following
activities total float
• FF = MIN {ES successor} – EF activity

ES FF ES Of
EF Successors

FF = ES successor – EF of activity
 3. Interfering Float
• Def.: Amount of the total float utilized that
interferes with the following activities.
 Total Float T iE T jL
DUR (I)
TF= TjL- (TiE+tij)
TF
Free Float T iE
DUR(I)
T jE

TF= TjE- (TiE+tij)

FF
Interfering Float
Int. F= TF-FF
 2- Bar Charts
• Most people in construction are familiar with this form of
presentation.
 2- Bar Charts
• the pervious figure shows a weekly programme but an entire
project may be presented in this format but with units of time being
weeks or months rather than days.
• Uses
– For relatively simple projects
– For short-time and weekly programming for which they
are ideal
– For presenting output from other more complex planning
techniques (e.g. Networking Analysis)
• Advantages
– Simple
– Easy to prepare and understand
– Good for showing progress and delays
• Disadvantages
– Relatively difficult to show dependencies between items or those operations
which are critical, although these 2 things can be done for a simple job.
– Does not deal well with complicated jobs
– Operations can be easily omitted by mistake- this is quite common
Example
• Prepare Time Plan using production curves for the following road work
activities:
• Taking into consideration that activity No 2 will start when 55% of
activity No1 is completed, activity No 3 will start when 60% of activity
No 2 is completed and activity No 4 will start when 90% of activity No
3 is completed. Find out the duration (time required) to complete all
road work activities.

Activity Description of work Duration Progress Rate % / Day

No

Days 1 2 3 4 5

1 Formation preparation & compaction

5 10 20 25 30 15

2 Base course laying & compaction

5 15 20 25 25 15

3 Asphalt laying & compaction

5 15 25 30 20 10

4 Handing over
2 40 60
 Example of programming with the use of
Bar charts
Scenario:
• The figure illustrates an irrigation scheme which a middle
east country is proposing to develop by constructing an
impounding embankment across a wadi through which
water runs during the short rainy season.
• Two irrigation canals, one partially lined, and the other
fully lined, will conduct impounded water from reservoir
so formed.
Requirements
• using bar chart programming determine the lowest cost
of completing the project outlined below. When will the
asphalt lining start relative to the starting earthworks?
 Example
Method Statement
• Two contractors have been appointed for the works on
the understanding that once his plant has been
mobilised on site each contractor will have continuous
working for his plant.
– Earthworks contractor- will excavate and trim canals and
construct the embankment
– Paving contractor- will line the canals and waterproof the
upstream face of the embankment with asphalt.
– Asphalt lining to the embankment upstream slope cannot
commence until the embankment has completely filled
– The canal construction sequence will be A-C-B
 Example
Assumptions and outputs:
• The earthworks contractor has a hydraulic back-hoe excavator and
dumpers with outputs:
– Trenching for canal (lined) in soft material 400m3/day
– Trenching for canal (Unlined) in rock material 110m3/day
– This equipment can also be used to provide additional filling for the
embankment from the borrow area at a rate of 1000m3/day. It costs
$4000 to mobilise and $150/day thereafter
– The paving contractor’s asphalt equipment costs $6000 to mobilise and
its working cost, including materials used is $1000/day. It has an output
per day of 80m3 asphalt
• the following assumptions may be made
– All material excavated from canals must go to the embankment
– Bulking of excavated materials can be ignored
– Costs of compaction equipment are included in the excavation team
costs
– Volume of asphalt per linear metre of canal= excavation girth * 100mm
– All dimensions in the figure are in meters except where otherwise
stated.