On-Site Construction Management

CHAPTER 3:
LINEAR SCHEDULING METHOD

Assoc. Prof: Tran Duc Hoc

Contents 2

1 Construction process

2 Construction progress chart

3 Linear scheduling method

4 Evaluation of total progress

2
 3.1 Construction process 3

3.1.1 Concepts
- Construction organization is a collection of production
processes within the construction site for dismantling,
moving, renovating, expanding and new construction.
 3.2 Construction progress chart 4

3.2.1 Gantt chart

• Includes horizontal lines to describe manufacturing processes.
• Commonly applied, investment reporting stage -> Bidding,
designing
• Example: The progress of foundation construction has 5
units/segments and 4 activities. Interruption after pouring concrete for
foundation is 1 day.

Segment execution time (days)

Activity name
unit 1 unit 2 unit 3 unit 4 unit 5
(1) Lean concrete 1 1 1 1 1
(2) Formwork installation 1 1 1 1 1
(3) Steel bar installation 1 1 1 1 1
(4) Pouring concrete 1 1 1 1 1
3.2 Construction progress chart 5

Construction progress (days)

Progress
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 4

1 1 3 5

2 4

2 1 3 5

2 4

3 1 3 5

2 4

4 1 3 5

Gantt chart/Horizontal diagram according to the construction process

segment Construction progress (days)
unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 4

1 1 3

2 4

2 1 3

2 4

3 1 3

2 4

4 1 3

2 4

5 1 3

Gantt chart/Horizontal diagram according to the segment

 3.2 Construction progress chart 6

3.2.2 Linear scheduling

• In the form of an oblique line diagram, the vertical axis is the
list of construction objects (segments, subdivisions and floors...),
the horizontal axis is time. Development of two directions of
space and time.
• According to the principle of production line organization.
• Application scope in the official stage of construction work,
need a high level of detail → make construction progress
3.2 Construction progress chart 7

Segment Construction progress (days)

Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

3 1 2 3 4

Linear scheduling
 3.2 Construction progress chart 8

3.2.3 Network diagram

CPM : Critical Path Method
PERT: Program Evaluation and Review Technique
 3.2 Construction progress chart 9

Comparison
Gantt chart Linear Network

Show relationships between tasks

Shows a straight
Know the important tasks that
line drawn
Simple, easy to set influence other work
diagonally
Advanta up, Highly effective when used
Show the
ges easy to understand Through available specialized
relationship
easy to observe software, it should be optimized
between space
quickly
and time
High efficiency

Easy to miss
activities/tasks Not seeing Requires people who create and
Disadva Not seeing important tasks manage network diagrams with
ntages important tasks that that dominate certain qualifications and
dominate other other work expertise.
work
 3.2 Construction progress chart 10

Types of construction organization

Sequential method - Phương pháp tuần tự
Concept: Proceed in turn from one object to another in a certain
sequence
Pros: Easy to organize Objectiv Construction progress (days)
production, stable resource es

usage mode. No overlap in

space and time
Cons: There are always
production interruptions.
Low level of specialization,
high cost
 3.2 Construction progress chart 11

Parallel construction - Thi công song song

Concept: Simultaneous deployment of all objects, on different
locations
§èi t-îng Construction
TiÕn ®é progress (days)
thi c«ng
Objectives
thi c«ng 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1
Pros: Shorten time, reduce 1 2 3 4
2
production capital 1 2 3 4
...
stagnation. 1 2 3 4
m-1
1 2 3 4
Cons: The intensity of the m

use of resources T=t

skyrocketed. Unable to focus

R2tb
on specialization
H×nh 3.5: Thi c«ng song song
Parallel construction
 3.2 Construction progress chart 12

Overlap construction
Concept: The process begins before construction put apart after a
period of time determined

Pros: significantly reduces §èi t-îng Construction

TiÕn ®é thi progress
c«ng(days)
(ngµy)
Objectives
overall construction time and thi c«ng
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5 6 7 8 9 10

reduces the difficulty on the 2

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4
use of resources. ...
1 2 3 4
m-1
Cons: Time is based on m
1 2 3 4

subjective factors, so it is t<T<mt

difficult to reach the optimal R3max

value H×nh 3.6: Thi c«ng gèi tiÕp

overlap construction
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 13

3.3.1 Linear scheduling method

• Advanced production process, rational division of labor,
specialization and cooperation.
• Features
• High specialization in areas and working locations
• The balance of production capacity and the continuous
parallelism of processes
• Characteristics
• Production lines are fixed, machinery and people have to
move.
• The uniqueness and diversity of construction products
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 14

3.3.2 Elements of linear scheduling

• Technological factors
- Construction Process (QTTC): The manufacturing processes that
create a construction product (intermediate or complete).
- Technological structure: The process of forming construction
products

For example: Foundation work will be divided into: excavation,

pouring lean concrete for foundation, placing steel bar, joining
formwork, pouring concrete, removing formwork and backfilling.
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 15

Quantity of linear scheduling method

- The quantity of work performed in a unit time of a construction
process.

Nca(i): the number of working shifts in a

n
V= N ca(i) *Đs(i)
day of the machine i.
i=1 Đs(i): the capacity or output rate of the
machine shift i

NCN: the number of workers in the shift to

perform the construction process,
V=N CN *ĐS *N ca Nca: the number of working shifts in a day.
ĐS: the shift output of each respective
worker.
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 16

• Space factor
Working area
- The size of the space.
Construction unit/ segment (Division)
- Construction objects are usually divided into several sections
called construction units/segment.
Construction phase
- Construction objects are developed vertically.
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 17

• Principles of construction segmentation

 No more no less (Shouldn't be too little, shouldn't be too
much)
 Follow a certain direction and number them in order from

smallest to largest.
 The quantity of each segment should be equal or nearly
equal → stability. (20%)
 The structure of the components on the segments must be

equivalent or nearly equal to facilitate the movement,

rotation and reuse of machinery, equipment and materials.
 Pay attention to Construction joint
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 18

• Illustration
3 4
zones 1 2
17 tcn ttc
4 K11 K12 13

3 9

2 3
T (days)
1
5 10 15 20 25 30
Kb (1) Kb (3)
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 19

• Time factors Qij

K ij 
Time - K N i xĐ si
- Continuous operation time performing a production process on a
divided segment.
Step - Kb
- Time interval between two successive construction processes.
Technological disruption tcn
- Required waiting time due to technology characteristics.
Organizational disruption ttc
- Waiting period due to organization intention.
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 20

3.4.1 Single linear scheduling

A single line is a progress line that describes the progress of
the divided segments (or subdivisions) of a related
construction activity.

m m
segments

segments
c«ng

m-1 c«ng m-1

§o¹n thi

§o¹n thi
... ...
divided

divided

2 2
1 1

K K K K K K1 K2 Km
t = mK t= j
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 21

3.4.2 Uniform and constant

Example:

Time
TT Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Steel bar Installing 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 Formwork installing 1 1 1 1 1 1
3 Pouring concrete 1 1 1 1 1 1
Concrete curing tCN = 2
4 Remove formwork + fill with soil. 1 1 1 1 1 1
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 22

§o¹n thi
divided TiÕn ®é thiprogress
Construction c«ng
c«ng
segments 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
m 1 2 3 4

m-1
...
3
2
1

(n-1)K t CN-
T1 (m-1)K
T=(m+n-1)K + t -
CN
m: the number of sections (or segments) of construction that have been
divided.
n: the number of technological processes T = (m + n – 1) x K + tZ
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 23

3.4.3 Constant and inconsistent

Ki< Ki+1 and Ki > Ki+1
1 2 n

m B C

m-1 F

...

1 E
A D
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23,5
K1  K2 n-1 Kn

T K i + +(m-1)K n

n n 1
T   Ki  (m  1) ( Ki  Ki 1 )  (m  1) Kn  tz
i 1 i 1

Only taken value (Ki – Ki +1) >0.

 3.3 Linear scheduling method 24

Example: The process of foundation execution has 6 zones (m

=6), number of activity is n = 4, the technical stopping
requirement between activity 3 and 4 is tCN = 2 days.
1: steel installation: K1 = 1 day
2: formwork installation: K2 = 4 days
3: concrete pouring: K3 = 2 days
4: formwork removing: K4 = 3 days

T = (1 + 4 + 2 + 3) + (6 – 1)[(4 – 2)] + (6 – 1) .3 + 2 = 37 days

n n 1
T   Ki  (m  1) ( Ki  Ki 1 )  (m  1) Kn  tz
i 1 i 1

Only taken value (Ki – Ki +1) >0.

 3.3 Linear scheduling method 25

1 2 3 4

6
5
4
3
2
1
segme
Ph©n 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36
nts tCN
®o¹n Thêi gian thi progress
c«ng (ngµy)
Construction

Linear scheduling
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 26

Adjustment of construction progress

Comments
• Each part line is handled by a team of professional workers.
• The speed on the segments of the teams is different  the work
area is vacant, the production downtime is prolonged.
• Leave construction site vacancy: The precedent line has
finished, however the following line has not yet started on that
site
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 27

Qij
Balancing Kij 
1. Speedy balance Ni xĐSi
Reduce the large value of k to small value based on the balance k

 ki  ki
ni     koi 
 kcb  ni
n n 1
T   ki  (m  1) (k0,i  k0,i 1 )  (m  1)k0,n  tZ
1 1

2. Slow balance
Reduce the resource of activity with small value of k in order to
increase the k. (less use)
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 28

S
Ni min  Ni  Ni max Ni max 
S0
S: Plan of subdivision, segment.
S0: Standard working space for one worker (or one machine)
Shortening the time limit can mobilize more workers but the ground
does not allow to increase people (vehicle)
- Organize many shifts in a day
- Mobilize more specialized teams according to the type of work
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 29

k1 = 2; k2 = 5; k3 = 3. The process has 4 zones

T = (2+5+3) + (4 – 1)[(5 – 3)] +(4 – 1)3 = 25 days

 ki  ki
ni     koi 
 kcb  ni

kcb = min(ki)
n1 = 1
n2 = k2/kcb = 2.5
n3 = k3/kcb = 1.5
k02 = k2/n2
2.5 1.5 k03 = k3/n3
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 30

3.4.4 Inconstant and consistent

m
T   k j  (n  1)kmax  tZ
1

Phân
segme
1 2 3
đoạn
nts

2 K max
T (days)
(ngày)
1
5 10 15 20
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 31

3.4.5 General linear scheduling

Segments
Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6
1. Steel installation 1 3 1 3 1 1
2. formwork installation 1 2 1 2 1 2
3. Concrete pouring 2 1 1 2 1 1
4. Remove formwork 2 1 1 2 1 2

Interruption after pouring concrete is 2 days

 3.3 Linear scheduling method 32

3.4.5 General linear scheduling

segments
Construction progress

n  e e 1

T   K( b ) i  tn Với K( b ) i  max  Ki , j   Ki 1, j  tZ ,i 
0 e  m  j 1 j 1 
i 1
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 33

- Step 1: Accumulate Ki
=1+3
time
- Step 2: Reverse the K(b)i=max()
upper and lower lines
in step 1 deviate by 1
=4-1
column.
Step 3: Subtract
according to the
columns
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 34

Construction of a revetment wall according to the chain method, including 4

segments, 4 main tasks with the same volume as the table below, with the
construction sequence of: steel - formwork - concrete - remove formwork.
Waiting time for removing formworks: 2 days

crew manpower Productivity

Quantity
zone formwor concret Remove Steel 4 0.5T/work
steel(T) Install
k (m2) e (m3) (m2) 3 10m2/work
4 8 90 60 90 formwork
3 8 120 80 120 Pouring
10 2m3/work
2 12 60 60 60 concrete
Removing
1 6 60 80 60 2 30m2/work
formwork

1. Set up the linear schedule, determine the completion time

2. Make a human resource chart, calculate the coefficient K1, K2
3. Carrying out the formwork first or reinforcement first will shorten
the time to complete , and calculate that shortening time.
3.3 Linear scheduling method 35

ph©n ®o¹n

ct cp bt tcp

t(ngµy)
3.3 Linear scheduling method 36

ZONES
ph©n ®o¹n

cp ct bt tcp

T (DAYS)
t(ngµy)
 3.3 Linear scheduling method 37

Analytical methods
Remove
Zones Steel formwork Concrete
formwork

4
 4.4 Evaluation of total progress 38

• Based on the manpower chart

Qualitative: Does not rise high in a short time, does not deepen in
a long time
Quantitative: K1 < 1.5 và 0< K2< 0.5
• Based on the total schedule:
• The side work on progress is not left empty too much; There is a
smooth and smooth coordination of construction teams with the
same expertise