CHAPTER 5

SCHEDULING AND TRACKING WORK

IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
Introduction

Planning & Scheduling

• Principles
• Techniques
• Work breakdown structure
• Gantt Chart & S-Curve
• Successor/ predecessor relationship
• Arrow Diagram Method and
Precedence Diagram Method
• Critical Path Method
 THE INTEGRATION OF TIME &
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

Our focus!!

Traditional Project’s Critical Components (time, cost, & quality); in relation with
sustainable construction concept
 Introduction
• Project planning
– Process of identifying all the activities necessary
to successfully complete the project.
– Provides map to guide where to go and focused
on how to get there
– Planned in early stage of Project life Cycle or also
before site activities start.
 Introduction
• Importance of planning
– Reduce mistake and rework
– Avoid wastage
– minimize unnecessary in time and cost scheduling
– better quality control
– Effective project progress control
– Effective usage resources
 Introduction
• Project scheduling
– Process of determining the sequential order of the
planned activities, assigning realistic durations to
each activity and determining the start and finish
dates for each activities.
– it can be used to manage, coordinate, control and
report.
– Depending on the sophistication of the user, the
schedule can take different forms.
 Introduction
• Purpose of project scheduling
– Claim
– Project time and cost control
– Allocate project resources more efficiently
– As a monitoring tool
– Material delivery at site
– Storage – all material cannot put in the site (confined space)
– Avoid delay of the work and activity.
– Minimize the cash flow – as min as possible such as order material
stage by stage depend on the work needed.
– Control human resources and machinery To improve the efficiency
of the operation through the efficient use of resources and cost
control.
• Project planning is prerequisite to project scheduling!
 Desired results of planning and
scheduling
• Finish the project on time.
• Continuous (uninterrupted) flow of work (no delays)
• Reduced amount of rework (least amount of changes)
• Minimized confusion on misunderstandings.
• Increase knowledge of status of project by everyone.
• Meaningful and timely reports to management.
• You run the project instead the project running you.
• Knowledge of scheduled times of key parts of the project.
• Knowledge of the distributions of costs of the project
• Accountability of people, define responsibility/authority.
• Clear understanding of who does what, when & how much.
• Integration of all work to ensure a quality project for the owner.
 What are the different?
• Planning is more difficult to accomplish than
scheduling.
• The term planning and scheduling are often
used synonymously.
• Planning is first step to project scheduling.
• Tools used for planning and scheduling are
different!
Principles of planning and scheduling
• Begin planning before starting work, rather than after starting
work.
• Involve people who will actually do the work in the planning
and scheduling process.
• Includes all aspects of the project: scope, budget, schedule &
quality.
• Build flexibility into the plan, include allowance for changes and
time for reviews and approvals.
• Remember the schedule is the plan for doing the work, and it
will never be precisely correct.
• Keep the plan simple, eliminate irrelevant details that prevent
the plans from being readable.
• Communicating the plan to all parties; any plan is worthless
unless it is known.
 COST

RESOURCES TIME

SCOPE QUALITY

The Collection of Project’s Critical Components (should be in equilibrium)

Steps in planning and scheduling
Time &
Resource
Management
Scope Activity
definition Sequencing

Schedule
development
Create WBS Activity Activity
resource Duration
planning Estimation

Cost Estimating Cost Budgeting

Scope
Management
Cost
Management
 Steps in planning and scheduling
1. Develop a work breakdown structure (WBS)
2. Prepare a drawing (network diagram)
3. Determine the time, cost and resources required
4. Compute the schedule to determine start, finish
and float times
5. Analyze costs and resources for the project
6. Communicate the results of the plan and
schedule
 Work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Identifies the tasks and activities that must be
performed.
• It divides the project into identifiable parts that can be
managed.
• Concept of WBS: in order to manage a whole project,
one must manage and control each of its parts.
• It defines:
– The work to be performed
– The need of expertise
– Assist in selection of project team
– Establish a base of project scheduling and control
 Work breakdown structure (WBS)
• WBS is display as a graphical or outline
method that shows the division of work in a
multi level system.
• In developing WBS, we should consider:
– Activities that require time
– Activities that require cost
– Activities that need to arrange
– Activities that need to monitor
 Work Breakdown Structure (Graphical)
Level 1 Construction of one block office building

Level 2 Testing & Project

Start Project Preliminaries Block A
Commissioning complete

Performance
Earthwork
Level 3 bond

Establish and
removal of site Structure Work
office

Architecture
Work

Architecture
Work

M&E work
 Work Breakdown Structure (Outline)
• Construction of one – Testing and
block office building Commissioning
– Start Project – Project complete
– Preliminaries
• Performance bond
• Establish and removal
of site office
– Block A
• Earthwork
• Structure Work
• Architecture Work
• M&E work
 Work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Importance of WBS
– Overall program can be explain in summary according to
each sub-element divided.
– Planning could execute.
– Cost and budget could estimate more accurately.
– Time, Cost and Performance of each element could be
monitor from time to time.
– Objective could be relate directly with the available
resources in the company.
– Network diagram and control planning could be prepared
in early stages.
– Responsibilities for each parties involve in every element
could be identify and assign.
 Work breakdown structure (WBS)
Exercise:
You are the Project Manager for a Construction of
“Cadangan Membina dan Menyiapkan Sebuah
Rumah Banglo 2 Tingkat Serta Kerja-kerja Berkaitan
Untuk Tetuan Dato’ Kamal Jaafar.” Develop a
preliminary graphical work breakdown structure (up
to level 4) for the project given. Your WBS should
complete with all works needs in completing a one
unit bungalow.
 Exercise (Suggested Answer-Graphical Method)
Level Cadangan Membina dan Menyiapkan Sebuah Rumah Banglo 2 Tingkat Serta Kerja-
1 kerja Berkaitan Untuk Tetuan Dato’ Kamal Jaafar

Level Preliminary Building External

2 works works works

Level Performance
Structure Architecture M&E Sewerage
3 bond

Progress Road and

Foundation Wall Wiring
Report drainage

Fittings
Ground level Floor Landscape
installation
Level
4
1st floor level Roof

2nd floor
Fittings
level
Exercise (Suggested Answer-Outline Method)
 Techniques for scheduling
• Techniques used will vary depending on:
– Project’s size
– Complexity
– Duration
– Personnel
– Owner requirements
• Two general methods commonly used :
Bar chart (Gantt chart)
Critical path method (CPM/ network analysis
system)
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)
• Develop by Henry L.Gantt
• Is a graphical time-scale of the schedule,
length represent the duration of activity.
 Advantages Disadvantages

• Easy to interpret • Difficult to update

• Simplicity & ease of preparation and
understanding (Simple graphical).
• Does not show
interdependences of activities
• No theory or complicated calculation
involved (Easy for general • Does not integrate costs or
comprehension). resources with the schedule
• Time-scaled (the length of the bar • Limited application for detail
representing certain activity is construction work
proportional to the duration of that • Difficult to use it for forecasting
activity.
the effects that changes in a
• Appeal to persons who do not have a
particular activity will have on
technical background
the overall schedule
• Wide spread used in industry
• Mostly used in small project
• Fairly broad planning and scheduling
tools, so they require less revision
and updating than more
sophisticated systems
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)
No. Description Month
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
100
1 Mobilization
2 Foundation Excavation
Original Schedule
3 Diversion Stage

Cumulative progress (%)

4 Foundation Grouting
5 Dam Concrete
6 Install Outlet Gates
7 Install Trash Racks
8 Prestress
Actual progress
9 Radial Gates
10 Spillway Bridge
11 Curtain Grout
12 Dismantle Plant, Clean Up
0

 Bar chart basically use x-axis only (to depict time).

 The y-axis is use to show individual activities, to represent a variable across time
(e.g.: man-hours, budget, % complete and so forth.
 The variables usually shown as a curve superimposed on the bar chart.
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)
• Example 1:
A project consist of five activities that should be
done in a period of time. Try to create a bar chart
to ease the project planning and scheduling.
* consider 1 week as 7 days
Activity A : 1 week, starting from 1 Jun 2014
Activity B : 2 week, starting from 8 Jun 2014
Activity C : 3 week, starting from 15 Jun 2014
Activity D : 2 week, starting from 22 Jun 2014
Activity E : 2 week, starting from 29 Jun 2014
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 1
• Step 1: identify start date and finish date for
each activity
Activity A : 1 week, starting from 1 Jun 2014 (1/6-7/6)
Activity B : 2 week, starting from 8 Jun 2014 (8/6-21/6)
Activity C : 3 week, starting from 15 Jun 2014 (15/6-5/7)
Activity D : 2 week, starting from 22 Jun 2014 (22/6-5/7)
Activity E : 2 week, starting from 29 Jun 2014 (29/6-12/7)
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 1
• Step 2: Draw outline of bar chart

Activity Duration Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

(week)
1/6 8/6 15/6 22/6 29/6 6/7

Act. A 1
Act. B 2
Act. C 3
Act. D 2
Act. E 2
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 1
Activity A : 1 week, starting from 1 Jun 2014
(1/6-7/6)
Activity B : 2 week, starting from 8 Jun 2014
• Step 3: Draw the (8/6-21/6)
Activity C : 3 week, starting from 15 Jun 2014
activity bars (15/6-5/7)
Activity D : 2 week, starting from 22 Jun 2014
(22/6-5/7)
Activity E : 2 week, starting from 29 Jun 2014
(29/6-12/7)
Activity Duration Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
(week)
1/6 8/6 15/6 22/6 29/6 6/7

Act. A 1
Act. B 2
Act. C 3
Act. D 2
Act. E 2
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 2
Num. Activity Duration Start Date Cost (RM) Resources
(days) (person)

1 Activity A 3 4/5/2014 1,400.00 2

2 Activity B 5 7/5/2014 2,700.00 3
3 Activity C 7 10/5/2014 3,500.00 2
4 Activity D 5 15/5/2014 6,000.00 4
5 Activity E 4 17/5/2014 4,700.00 4
6 Activity F 6 19/5/2014 12,600.00 5
30,900.00
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 2
• Step 1: identify start date and finish date for
each activity
Activity A : 3 days, starting from 4 May 2014 (4/5-6/5)
Activity B : 5 days, starting from 7 May 2014 (7/5-11/5)
Activity C : 7 days, starting from 10 May 2014 (10/5-16/5)
Activity D : 5 days, starting from 15 May 2014 (15/5-19/5)
Activity E : 4 days, starting from 17 May 2014 (17/5-20/5)
Activity F : 6 days, starting from 19 May 2014 (19/5-24/5)
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 2
• Step 2: Draw outline of bar chart

Activity Duration

10/5
11/5
12/5
13/5
14/5
15/5
16/5
17/5
18/5
19/5
20/5
21/5
22/5
23/5
24/5
4/5
5/5
6/5
7/5
8/5
9/5
(days)
Act. A 3
Act. B 5
Act. C 7
Act. D 5
Act. E 4
Act. F 6
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 2
Activity A : (4/5-6/5)

• Step 3: Draw the Activity B

Activity C
: (7/5-11/5)
: (10/5-16/5)
Activity D : (15/5-19/5)
activity bars Activity E : (17/5-20/5)
Activity F : (19/5-24/5)

Activity Duration

10/5
11/5
12/5
13/5
14/5
15/5
16/5
17/5
18/5
19/5
20/5
21/5
22/5
23/5
24/5
4/5
5/5
6/5
7/5
8/5
9/5
(days)
Act. A 3
Act. B 5
Act. C 7
Act. D 5
Act. E 4
Act. F 6
 S-Curve
• An S-curve is defined as:
"A display of cumulative costs, labor hours or
other quantities plotted against time. The name
derives from the S-like shape of the curve, flatter
at the beginning and end and steeper in the
middle, which is typical of most projects. The
beginning represents a slow, deliberate but
accelerating start, while the end represents a
deceleration as the work runs out."
 S-Curve
• Type of S-Curve
– Physical S-Curve
– Financial S-Curve
• Both S-curve can be in Baseline (planned) or
actual S-curve
 S-Curve (Example)
Num. Activity Duration Start Date Cost (RM) Resources/
(days) day
(person)
1 Activity A 3 4/5/2014 1,400.00 2
2 Activity B 5 7/5/2014 2,700.00 3
3 Activity C 7 10/5/2014 3,500.00 2
4 Activity D 5 15/5/2014 6,000.00 4
5 Activity E 4 17/5/2014 4,700.00 4
6 Activity F 6 19/5/2014 12,600.00 5
30,900.00

Based on bar chart in Example 2, construct S-curve (daily basis) for this
project:
1. Financial S-Curve
2. Physical S-curve (resources vs time & work vs time)
 Planning VS Actual S-curve??
• Before this, we just create a planning bar
chart.
• What if, the real activities has started? How to
create actual S-curve?
• Actually, same process is involve. But it’s ok…
let’s take a look one example.
 Planning VS Actual S-curve (Example 2)
Physical S-Curve (work vs time)
Num. Activity Duration Start Date Actual Actual Cost (RM) Resources
(days) Start Date Finish Date (person)

1 Activity A 3 4/5/2014 4/5/2014 6/5/2014 1,400.00 2

2 Activity B 5 7/5/2014 7/5/2014 12/5/2014 2,700.00 3
3 Activity C 7 10/5/2014 11/5/2014 17/5/2014 3,500.00 2
4 Activity D 5 15/5/2014 17/5/2014 21/5/2014 6,000.00 4
5 Activity E 4 17/5/2014 18/5/2014 22/5/2014 4,700.00 4
6 Activity F 6 19/5/2014 21/5/2014 26/5/2014 12,600.00 5
30,900.00
 Bar chart (Gantt Chart)-Example 2
Activity Duration Start Actual Actual

10/5
11/5
12/5
13/5
14/5
15/5
16/5
17/5
18/5
19/5
20/5
21/5
22/5
23/5
24/5
25/5
26/5
(days)

4/5
5/5
6/5
7/5
8/5
9/5
Date Start Finish
Date Date

Act. A 3 4/5/14 4/5/14 6/5/14

Act. B 5 7/5/14 7/5/14 12/5/14

Act. C 7 10/5/14 11/5/14 17/5/14

15/5/14
Act. D 5 17/5/14 21/5/14

Act. E 4 17/5/14 18/5/14 22/5/14

Act. F 6 19/5/14 21/5/14 26/5/14

Planning cumulative work / day 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 11 12 13 15 17 19 21 24 26 27 28 29 30

Actual cumulative work/ day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 13 14 15 17 19 21 23 26 28 29 30 31 32
 Network Diagram / CPM
• Activity on Arrow (AOA)/ Arrow Diagram
Method (ADM)
– In arrow diagram project task or activities are
represented by the arrow and connected by the
node to express their logical relationship

Activity A Activity B

Node Node Node

 Network Diagram
Diagram for construction of pad footing
 Network Diagram
• Activity on Node (AON)/ Precedence Diagram
Method (PDM)
– activity is place on the node
– The arrow used to connect between project task
to show their logical relationship

Act. A Act. B

Node Node
 Network Diagram
Diagram for construction of pad footing

Arrow - Logical
Node - Activity
Logical – Show the relationship
between activities
- Sequences of interrelated
activity
Basic definition in network diagram
• Activity- the performance of a task required to
complete the project. An activity require time,
cost, or both.
• Network- a diagram to represent the
relationship of activities to complete a project.
The network may be drawn as AOA/ADM or
AON/PDM.
• Duration- the estimated time required to
perform an activity.
Basic definition in network diagram
• Early start (ES)- the earliest time an activity can
be started.
• Early finish (EF)- the earliest time an activity can
be finished.
EF = ES + Duration
• Late finish (LF)- the latest time an activity can be
finished.
• Late start (LS)- the latest time an activity can be
started without delaying the completion date of
the project.
LS = LF - D
Basic definition in network diagram
• Total float (TF)- the amount of time an activity
may be delayed without delaying the completion
date of the project.
TF = LF – ES – D
• Free float (FF)- the amount of time an activity
may be delayed without delaying the early start
time of the immediately following activity.
FF(i) = ES(j) –EF(i) ;
i-preceding activity, j-following activity
Basic definition in network diagram
2 E 5 7 G 10
3 3
10 8 13 11 4 14

ES (E) = 2 EF(E) = 5 LS(E) = 10 LF(E)= 13

Duration (E) Total Float = 8 days

= 3d
Free
Float =
2 days
ES(G) = 7

ES ACT EF
DUR
LS TF LF
Basic definition in network diagram
• Critical path – a series of interconnected activities
through the network diagram, with each activity
having zero total float time. The critical path
determines the minimum time to complete the
project.
• Dummy activity- an activity (represent by a
dotted line) that indicates any activity following
the dummy cannot be started until the
activity(ies) preceding the dummy are
completed. Does not require time. No dummy
activity for AON/PDM.
 Activity Sequencing
• Understand the order of how the job to be
accomplished in the field.
• The planner must understand how various
activities of the project related to each other
in term of their logical sequence.
• Example preparing formwork before
reinforcement could be place & than pouring
concrete.
 Activity Sequencing
• Predecessor
– A task whose start or finish date determines the
start or finish date of its successor task.
• Successor
– A task whose start or finish date is driven by its
predecessor task.
 Link (Relationship)
• Finish to Start (FS) Act. A
– Activity B cannot start until
Activity A finish Act. B

• Start to Start (SS) Akt. A

– Activity B cannot start until
Activity A start Akt. B
 Link (Relationship)
• Finish to Finish (FF) Act. A
– Activity B cannot finish until
Activity A finish. Act. B

• Start to Finish (SF)

– Activity B cannot finish until Act. A
Activity A start.
Act. B
 Lead time & lag time
• Lead time Act. A
– Overlap between
dependent activity
– Eg : FS – 5d Act. B
5d
• Lag time
– Delay between Act. A
dependent activity
– Eg: FS + 2 d
Act. B
2d
 Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Calculates the total project duration based on
individual task durations and their
interdependencies.
• The sequence of tasks determining the
minimum time needed for the project is the
critical path.
Critical Path Method (CPM)
FORWARD PASS

Early Early
Start Finish

Late Late
Start Finish
BACKWARD PASS
 Example (ADM)
Activity Duration (day) Predecessor (s)
Act. A 2 -
Act. B 3 -
Act. C 3 A
Act. D 4 B
Act. E 3 C,D
Act. F 2 C,D
Act. G 4 E
Act. H 3 F

1. Develop an arrow diagram for the project.

2. Identify critical activity and critical path for the project.
 Example (PDM)
Activity Duration (day) Predecessor (s)
Act. A 10 -
Act. B 11 A
Act. C 5 B
Act. D 4 B
Act. E 12 A
Act. F 3 C,D
Act. G 7 F
Act. H 11 E
Act. I 4 G,H
1. Develop a precedence diagram for the project.
2. Identify critical activity and critical path for the project.
 Example (PDM)
Activity Duration (week) Predecessor (s)
Act. A 2 -
Act. B 3 A (FS+2),
C (FF+1),
D(FF)
Act. C 2 A
Act. D 1 C (SS)

1. Develop a precedence diagram for the project.

2. Identify critical activity and critical path for the project.
 Exercise (ADM)
Activity Duration (day) Predecessor (s)
Act. A 2 -
Act. B 3 A
Act. C 5 A
Act. D 4 A
Act. E 2 B,C
Act. F 3 C
Act. G 4 C,D
Act. H 2 E,F,G

• Prepare a arrow diagram for the project.

• Identify critical path for the project.
 Exercise (ADM-Solution)

Act. B 4
3
7 9

1 Act. A 2 Act. C 3 Act. F 6 Act. H 7

0 0 2 2 2 5 7 7 3 11 11 2 13 13

Act. D 5
4 7 7
Critical path
 Exercise (PDM)
Activity Duration (day) Predecessor (s)
Act. A 2 -
Act. B 3 A
Act. C 5 A
Act. D 4 A
Act. E 2 B,C
Act. F 3 C
Act. G 4 C,D
Act. H 2 E,F,G

• Prepare a precedence diagram for the project.

• Identify critical path for the project.
 BUT… WAIT!!
• Are there any other type of Scheduling
method??
• How if the Gantt Chart and CPM did not
actually work/represent well with the
nature/requirement of the particular
construction project??

• So, actually we have… LINEAR SCHEDULING

METHOD (LSM) / LINE OF BALANCE (LOB)
LINEAR SCHEDULING METHOD (LSM)
/ LINE OF BALANCE (LOB)
• This method is actually appropriate for a
project that:
– Progress linearly (straight without major
fluctuation of activities),
– Highly repetitive works,
– Have fixed starting point and end,
– Such as; highways, airfields, pipelines, multiple
housing units, high-rise buildings, etc.
LINEAR SCHEDULING METHOD (LSM)
(cont.)
• Take for example; a highway construction
project:
 LINEAR SCHEDULING METHOD (LSM)
(cont.)
We have 5 linear
activities:
1. Clear & strip
2. Drainage
3. Subgrade
4. Base course
5. Pave
Kilometer (km)

Width of B:
At 40km, the subgrade
works will starts at week
4.4 until week 5.

Height of A:
At week 3, subgrade
works from 13km to
21km.

Distance of C:
It is a time lag / time
float for 10km; between
subgrade works and base
LSM Diagram for highway project (adopted from Nunnally, 2014) course works.
1.4 weeks to be exact.