MODULE-III

PROJECT SCHEDULING AND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Project Management through Networks:-

Construction project management through networks refers to the use of network-based methodologies and
tools to plan, organize, and control construction projects. Network-based methods, such as the Critical Path
Method (CPM) and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), are commonly employed in
construction project management to schedule activities, allocate resources, and manage project progress
effectively.

Objectives:

 Optimizing Resource Allocation

 Minimizing Project Duration
 Enhancing Communication and Collaboration
 Improving Risk Management
 Ensuring Quality and Compliance

Advantages:

1. Efficient Resource Utilization

2. Predictive Planning
3. Real-time Monitoring
4. Improved Decision-making
5. Enhanced Stakeholder Communication

Overall, construction project management through networks offers a systematic and structured approach
to project planning, execution, and control, leading to improved efficiency, quality, and project outcomes.

Network:

A network is a logical and chronological graphical representation of the activities and events along with their
interdependencies within a project. A network comprises of Activities and Events.
 (Examples of Network Representation-AOA & AON)

Important Terminologies:

In construction project management, network analysis involves various terminologies that are essential for
understanding and managing project schedules effectively. Here are some important terminologies used in
network analysis:

1. Activity: A task or work item in a project that consumes time and resources. Activities are the building
blocks of a project schedule.
2. Predecessor Activity: An activity that must be completed before another activity can start. It directly
influences the start or finish of a successor activity.
3. Successor Activity: An activity that cannot start until its predecessor activity or activities are
completed. It depends on the completion of one or more preceding activities.
4. Parallel activities: Activities that can be performed simultaneously and independently to each other.
5. Serial activities: Activities which are performed in succession or conclusion of other activities upon
which they are dependent.
6. Event: This is a point of time when an activity either starts or ends in a project.
7. Tail Event: It marks the beginning of activity/activities.
8. Head Event: It marks the end of activity/activities.
9. Predecessor Event: Event that occur before another event.
10. Successor Event: Event that follow another event.
11. Duration: The time required to complete an activity. It can be estimated based on historical data,
expert judgment, or other factors.
12. Start Date: The planned or actual date when an activity is scheduled to begin.
13. Finish Date: The planned or actual date when an activity is scheduled to be completed.
14. Critical Path: The longest sequence of dependent activities that determines the shortest possible
duration for completing the project. Any delay in activities on the critical path will directly impact the
project's overall duration.
15. Float or Slack: The amount of time by which an activity can be delayed without affecting the project's
completion date. There are two types of float:
16. Total Float: The total amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project's
completion date.
17. Free Float: The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the start of its successor
activities.
 18. Early Start (ES): The earliest possible start date for an activity based on its predecessor activities and
their durations.
19. Early Finish (EF): The earliest possible finish date for an activity based on its early start date and
duration.
20. Late Start (LS): The latest allowable start date for an activity without delaying the project's completion
date.
21. Late Finish (LF): The latest allowable finish date for an activity without delaying the project's
completion date.
22. Total Float Equation: Total Float = Late Start (LS) - Early Start (ES) or Late Finish (LF) - Early Finish (EF)
23. Critical Activity: An activity that is on the critical path and has zero total float. Any delay in a critical
activity will directly impact the project's completion date.
24. Non-Critical Activity: An activity that is not on the critical path and has total float. Delays in non-critical
activities may not affect the project's overall duration if they are within their float allowances.

These terminologies are fundamental to performing network analysis, creating project schedules, identifying
critical paths, and managing project timelines effectively.

Types of Network:

AOA (Activity on Arrow) and AON (Activity on Node) are two types of network diagrams used in project
management for scheduling and analyzing project activities.

1. AOA (Activity on Arrow) Network:

a. In an AOA network, activities are represented by arrows or lines, and events are represented by
nodes or circles.
b. The arrows indicate the flow and sequence of activities, while the nodes represent the start,
finish, or intersection points of activities.
c. Nodes in an AOA network are used to represent events such as the start (S), finish (F), merge
(M), burst (B), and dummy (D) events.
d. Arrows connecting nodes represent activities, and the direction of arrows indicates the
sequence in which activities must be performed.
e. AOA networks are commonly used in older project management techniques like the Program
Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).

2. AON (Activity on Node) Network:

a. In an AON network, activities are represented by nodes or circles, and the relationships
between activities are shown by arrows or lines.
b. Nodes in an AON network represent activities, and arrows connecting nodes indicate the
dependencies and sequence of activities.
 c. Unlike AOA networks, events such as start (S) and finish (F) are not explicitly represented as
nodes in AON networks. Instead, activities themselves define the project's logical flow.
d. AON networks are widely used in modern project management methods like the Critical Path
Method (CPM) and are easier to understand and interpret than AOA networks.

Difference between AOA and AON Networks:

1. Representation:
a. AOA: Activities are represented by arrows, and events are represented by nodes.
b. AON: Activities are represented by nodes, and the relationships between activities are
represented by arrows.
2. Node Functionality:
a. AOA: Nodes represent events such as start, finish, merge, burst, and dummy events.
b. AON: Nodes represent activities directly, and events like start and finish are implicit within the
activities.
3. Complexity and Interpretation:
a. AOA: A bit more complex due to the separate representation of activities and events.
b. AON: Easier to interpret and understand as activities and relationships are directly represented
by nodes and arrows.

Both AOA and AON networks are used for scheduling, critical path analysis, and resource allocation in project
management. The choice between AOA and AON often depends on the project's complexity, the preference of
the project manager, and the specific project management methodology being used.

Dummy Activity:

A dummy activity is a type of imaginary activity inserted in a network which neither requires neither time nor
any resource. A dummy activity takes no time to perform and is used solely to illustrate precedence
relationship, when use of actual activities would lead to complications in drawing the network. It is
represented by dashed arrows.
Network analysis – Forward and Backward Passes
In network analysis in construction project management, the forward pass and backward pass are critical
techniques used in the Critical Path Method (CPM) and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
to determine the project's duration and identify the critical path.

1. Forward Pass: This is the process of determining the earliest start time (ES) and earliest finish time (EF)
for each activity in the project network diagram. The forward pass starts from the project's beginning
(usually time zero or the project start date) and moves forward through the network diagram,
calculating the earliest possible start and finish times for each activity based on its duration and the
dependencies with preceding activities. The ES of an activity is the maximum of the EFs of all its
immediate predecessor activities, while the EF is calculated by adding the activity's duration to its ES.

2. Backward Pass: After the forward pass is completed and the earliest start and finish times are
determined for all activities, the backward pass is performed. In the backward pass, we calculate the
latest start time (LS) and latest finish time (LF) for each activity. This process starts from the project's
end (the final milestone or completion date) and moves backward through the network diagram. The
LF of an activity is the minimum of the LSs of all its immediate successor activities, while the LS is
calculated by subtracting the activity's duration from its LF.

The key purpose of the forward pass and backward pass is to identify the critical path in the project network.
The critical path is the longest sequence of activities that determines the shortest possible duration for the
project. Activities on the critical path have zero slack or float, meaning any delay in these activities will directly
impact the project's overall duration.

Errors in a Network:

 Looping (Cyclic) Error: In a network diagram looping error is also known as cyclic error. A loop or cycle
is any path of activities that leads back into itself.

 Dangling Error: When an activity (other than terminal/end activity) is not connected to any succeeding
activity, it is known as dangling error.
 [In the above network, activity D leads to dangling. A dummy activity is therefore introduced to avoid
this dangling.]
 Redundancy: If a dummy activity is the only activity emanating from an event and which can be
eliminated is known as redundancy. That is to say, use of unnecessary and extra dummies in a network.

Fulkerson’s Rule of Event Numbering:

After the network is drawn in a logical sequence, every event is assigned a number which is placed inside the
node circle. The number sequence should be such as to reflect the flow of the network. The rule devised by
D.R. Fulkerson is used for the purpose of numbering. It involves the following steps:
1. The initial event which has all outgoing arrows with no incoming arrow is numbered `1'.
2. Delete all the arrows coming out from node 'I'. This will convert some more nodes (at least one) into
initial events. Number these events 2, 3, ...
3. Delete all the arrows going out from these numbered events to create more initial events. Assign the
next numbers to these events.
4. Continue until the final or terminal node, which has all arrows coming in with no arrow going out, is
numbered.

Network Rules:
1. Initial node has only outgoing arrows.
2. There must be only single initial node.
3. There must be only single end node.
4. An event cannot occur until all the activities leading to it are completed.
5. An event cannot occur twice.
6. No activity can start until its tail end event has occurred.
7. Any arrow can represent only single activity.
8. All constraints and interdependencies should be shown properly in the network by use of
appropriate dummies.
9. Arrows should point towards correct way – logic of network – left to right time flow.

Planning for Network Construction:

1. Forward Planning: In this method, the planner starts from the initial event and builds up the event and
activities logically and sequentially until the end event is reached.
 2. Backward Planning: In this method, the planner starts with the end event and arranges the events and
activities until the initial event is reached.
3. Combined Planning: It is combination of both forward planning and backward planning.

Modes of Network Diagram:

1. Objective: It is a specific, definite, complete and well-defined verbal statement specifying tasks to be
undertaken and policy of its execution.
2. Plan Breakdown: Work Break-down Structure (WBS)
3. Development of predecessor and successor relationship.
4. Sequencing: Marshalling the data logically and sequentially according to precedence relation and time.
5. Drawing the Network.
6. Checking the network in terms of:
a. Content, sequence and consistency, and
b. Degree of details, that is,
Event/Activity Ratio: E/A Ratio=Number of Events/Number of Activities,
(E/A ratio should range from 1 to 1.6)
7. Redraw if any mistakes or missing events or activities.
8. Numbering the events: Fulkerson’s Rule of Event numbering.

Material/Resource Management:

Resource management in construction project management refers to the systematic planning, allocation,
utilization, and monitoring of resources such as manpower, equipment, materials, finances, and time
throughout the project lifecycle. It involves coordinating resources effectively to ensure that project objectives
are met within specified constraints, including budget, schedule, quality standards, and regulatory
requirements.

Importance:

Resource management plays a crucial role in construction project management due to several key reasons:

1. Optimal Resource Utilization

2. Project Cost Control

3. Timely Project Completion

4. Quality Assurance

5. Risk Management
 6. Stakeholder Satisfaction

7. Resource Optimization

8. Compliance and Documentation

Overall, resource management is essential for achieving project success by ensuring efficient use of
resources, controlling costs, meeting deadlines, maintaining quality, managing risks, and satisfying
stakeholders in construction project management.

Methods of Material/Resource Management:

Here's a brief description of the methods of material/resource management in construction project

management:

1. Project Time Reduction and Optimization:

a. Lean Construction: Focuses on eliminating waste, improving efficiency, and optimizing

processes to reduce project duration and costs.
b. Fast-Tracking: Overlapping or compressing project phases to reduce overall project duration,
often with careful coordination to manage risks.
c. Critical Path Analysis: Identifying critical activities and sequences that directly impact project
duration, allowing for focused optimization efforts.

2. Resource Leveling:

a. Resource Histogram: Visualizes resource demand over time to identify periods of overload or
underutilization, smoothing out resource usage to avoid peaks and valleys.
b. Resource-Constrained Scheduling: Adjusting project schedules based on resource availability
and constraints to optimize resource usage and avoid over allocation or underutilization.

3. Resource Allocation:

a. Balanced Resource Assignment: Assigning resources such as manpower, equipment, and

materials in a balanced manner to avoid over allocation or underutilization.
b. Optimizing Resource Usage: Ensuring that the right resources are available and assigned to
activities based on project requirements, skill levels, availability, and constraints.

Each method plays a vital role in managing material and resource usage effectively, optimizing project
timelines, and ensuring efficient project execution in construction project management.

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