Network

• Networks are diagram easily visualised in electrical theory, transportation systems,

blood vessels etc.
• Sequential operations like flow charts are described diagrammatically as networks.
• The problem of determining an optimum solution can be looked upon as the problem
of selecting the best sequence of operations out of a finite number of available
alternatives that can be represented as a network.
• Network scheduling is a technique to minimize trouble spots by determining critical
factors and coordinating various parts of overall jobs.
• There are two basic techniques:
Critical Path Method (CPM)
Programme Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)

• Activity: An activity is a task that consumes resources (time, money etc). It is

represented by an arrow with its head indicating of progress in the project.

Above the activity, alphabet indicates the name of the activity and number the resource
(time) in units.
• Node: The specific point in time at which an activity begins or ends is called a node.
Starting and end points of an activity are described by two nodes. A node is generally
represented by a geometric shape, circle, and numbers within circle distinguished an
activity from another.

Network: A graphical representation of a project’s operation and is composed of activities

and nodes. Arrows terminating at a node must be completed before the following activity
begins. Network shows the planning sequence of their activities, their dependence and inter-
relationships.

• Dummy Activity: Without using any resources, some activities are used to represent
the correct precedence of relationships. This type of activity is known as a dummy
activity.

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 • Purpose of a dummy activity
– To maintain the proper logic in a network
– To maintain uniqueness in the numbering system

Rules:
1. There must be no loop in the network.

2. Every activity must have a tail node and a head node. All nodes must be numbered to
distinguish one node from another.
3. Every node must have at least one activity preceding it and at least one activity
following it except the very beginning and the very end of the network. The
beginning node has no activity before it and the ending node has no activity following
it.
4. Only one activity may connect any two nodes to necessarily specify the activity by
these two numbers.
5. Activities flow from left to right.
6. Dummy activities should be used if absolutely necessary.

Some Situations in Network Diagram

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Critical Path
• Critical Activity: An activity is said to be critical if a delay in its start will cause a
further delay in the completion of the entire project.
• Critical Path: The longest time path through a network is called the Critical Path.
Alternate Definition:
Critical Activity: An activity is said to be critical if its total float is zero.
• Critical Path: The path formed by all the critical activities is called the critical
path.
In general critical path is denoted by double line in a network.
Calculations in Networks
• Let zero be the starting time for the project.
• For each activity, there is an Earliest Starting time (ES)
• Earliest Starting Time: Earliest possible time when the activity can begin assuming
that all the predecessors are started at their ES time. For an activity (i,j), Earliest
Starting time is denoted by ESi.
• Earliest Finish time (EF) is simply ES plus activity time. For an activity (i,j),
EFj = ESi + tij, where tij is the activity time and (i.j) activity.
• Latest Finishing Time (LF): Latest time by which an activity can be completed. For
last node, it is the same as the Earliest starting time of that node. LFj=ESi, if (i,j) is
the last activity.
• Latest Starting Time: It is simply Latest Finishing time minus activity time.
LSi = LFj-tij

Total, Free, and Independent Float

• Total Float : Difference between Latest Finishing time (LF) and Earliest Finishing
Time (EF) of an activity. In other word, Total float of an activity (i, j) is the
difference between the maximum time available to finish the activity and the time
required to complete it. Total Float = LFj – EFj
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 • Free Float : Free float is the time by which an activity can be delayed beyond its
earliest finish without affecting the earliest start time of a succeeding activity.
Therefore,
Free Float = Total Float – (EFj – LSj ) = LFj-EFj
• Independent Float : The time by which an activity can be rescheduled without
affecting the preceding or the succeeding activities is known as independent float.
Independent Float = Total Float – (LSi – ESi )
Critical Path Method
• Draw the network diagram, of the project indicating time of each activity.
• Calculate Earliest Starting (ES) time of each node.
• Calculate Latest Finishing time (LF) of each node
• Prepare a table mentioning activity nodes, activity time, ES, EF, LS and LF.
• Calculate total Float of each activity in the table.
• Choose critical activities with zero float and draw line to indicate critical path.
• Sum of activity time of all critical activities are the minimum time required to
complete the project.
Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
• So far discussed about deterministic time.
• Since activity times are actually estimated and so expected values. The probability
distribution of activity time is based upon different time estimates made for each
activity.
• Optimistic time to: the shortest possible time to complete the activity is all goes well.
• Pessimistic time tp: the longest that an activity could take if everything goes wrong.
• Most Likely tm: the estimate of normal time an activity would take. If only one time
was available, this would be it.

• Now it is necessary to derive Expected time te, commonly referred to as the average
or mean time.

• Another assumption concerning the uni-modal distribution, the standard deviation can
be estimated roughly as one-sixth of range, i.e.,
And therefore the variance is

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PERT Algorithm

Examples:
1. Draw the Network
Activity Preceded by
A 1-2 -------------------------- ----
B 2-3 -------------------------- 1-2
C 2-4 -------------------------- 1-2
D 3-5 -------------------------- 2-3
E 4-5 -------------------------- 2-4
F 5-6 -------------------------- 3-5 & 4-5

2.
A television manufactured in six stapes A to Z & is produced one at a time. Manager
recorded the following information.
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 A is first step & precedes B & C
C precedes D & E; B follows D & proceeds E; F follows E.
D is successor of F
a) Draw an activity-on-node diagram for the production manager.
b) D is predecessor of F
c) B was really a predecessor of D rather than vice-versa.
d) Draw an arrow diagram representation of the network in part.
e) How many dummy activities did y on use in your network.

3. Draw the Network for the following Activities with the precedence relationships.
Activity A B C D E F G H I
Preceded by -- A A -- D B,C,E F D G,H

4. Draw the Network for the following Activities with the precedence relationships.

Activity A B C D E F G H I J K
Preceded by -- -- -- A B B C D E H,I F,G

5. Steel work for a shed. Draw a network.

Description Pre
Activity

requirements
code

A Eractsite workshop -
B Fance site -
C Bend reinforcement A
D Dig foundation B
E Fabricate steel work A, C
F Install concrete plant B
G Place reinforcement C, D
H Concrete foundation G, F
I Paint steel work E
J Erect steel work H, I
K Give finishing touch J

6. Construct the network diagram comprising activities A, B, …., K, L with the

following relationships. Find the total float for each activity. Find the total
project duration and critical path.

A < C; B < D, E ; C , D < H ; E < F, G ; F < I ; G < J; I , J < L; H < K

Task A B C D E F G H I J K L
Time 4 1 1 1 6 8 4 5 2 1 7 5

7. Construct the network diagram comprising the following activities.

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

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 Find the total float for each activity. Find the total project duration and
critical path.

Task 1-2 1-3 2-3 2-5 3-4 3-6 4-5 4-6 5-6 6-7
Time 15 15 3 5 8 12 1 14 3 14

8. A project consists of a series of terms labeled A, B, ……… H, I with the

following relationship.
A < D, E ; B, D < F ; C < G ; B < H ; F, G < I
Find minimum time of completion of project when the time ( in days ) of complete of
less task is as follows.
Task A B C D E F G H I
Time 23 8 20 16 24 18 19 4 10

9. A project consists of a series of terms labeled A, B, ……… H, I with the

following relationship.
A < D, E ; B, D < F ; C < G ; B < H ; F, G < I
Find minimum time of completion of project when the time ( in days ) of
complete of less task is as follows.
Task A B C D E F G H I
Time 8 10 8 10 16 17 18 14 9

10. A Picture tube is manufactured one at a time in six steps, labelled A through F. It
is noted that A is the first step and A < B, A< C, C < D, C < E, B > D, B < E, F >
E and D precedes F. If the activity occupy time as indicated:
A – 1 hour, B – 3 hours, C – 2 hours, D – 1 hour, E – 3 hours and F – 2 hours,
Draw an activity node diagram and determine the minimum time required to
complete the picture tube.

11. A Picture tube is manufactured one at a time in Nine steps, labelled A through I.
It is noted that A, B and C are the first step and B < F; A< D & E; C < G; D < H;
E & F < I. If the activity occupy time as indicated:
Activity A B C D E F G H I
Time (hour) 7.8 20 33 18 20 9 9.8 8 4
Draw an activity node diagram and determine the minimum time required to complete
the picture tube.

12. An opinion survey involves the following activity:

(i) Designing the questionnaire 7 days
(ii) Printing the questionnaire 2 days
(iii) Hiring and Training Personnel 10 days
(iv) Selecting Participants 1 day
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 (v) Mailing Questionnaire 2 days
(vi) Analysis the data 5 days
(vii) Answering the questionnaires 4 days
Draw the network.

13. Draw the network given the following precedence relationships

Activity A B C D E F G
Preceded by -- A A B C D,E F

14. Find the Critical path using the following information:

Activity: A B C D E F
Preceded by: -- -- A A B,C D,E
Time: 20 25 10 12 5 10

15.

16.

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17.

18.

19. Fi
nd the critical path

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 21. Ex.: Considering the following information find critical path and probability of
completing the project before 5 weeks.
Activity Preceded by Optimistic time Pessimistic time Most likely time
A -- 8 9 10
B -- 6 7 9
C A 9 12 15
D B 5 5 5
E B 8 10 11
F B 11 15 20
G D 3 4 6
H E, G 5 6 8
L E, G 8 10 12
M C, F, H 4 5 10

22. Considering the following information find critical path and probability of
completing the project 2 weeks earlier than expected.
Activity Preceded by Optimistic time Pessimistic time Most likely time
A -- 0.7 1.0 1.3
B A 3.8 5.6 9.8
C A 5.2 7.6 12.4
D B 2.1 2.7 6.1
E C 0.7 3.4 3.7
F E 0.7 1.0 1.3

23. A small project consists of seven activities whose time estimates and precedence
relationships are given in the following table.

Activity Preceded by Optimistic time Pessimistic time Most likely time

A -- 3 6 9
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 B -- 2 5 8
C A 2 4 6
D B 2 3 10
E B 1 3 11
F C, D 4 6 8
G E 1 5 15

Find the probability of completing the project by 18 weeks. Given that (1.4456) = 0.4265

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