Chapter III

Construction Time Management

Introduction
In the present day the major problems associated with the construction indusrty is Construction Project delays. The construction project which takes months and sometimes years for completion suffers this serious problem of delay due to various reasons(avoidable and unavoidable). The Construction project as discussed earlier runs in different phases with the outcomes of preceding phases being used as in the following phase. And this interdependence of different processes of construction project multiplies the delay which happens in one such process. This finally leads to the delay in construction project completion. The primary Objective of construction project management is to Plan, Schedule, Execute and complete the project in the specified time period with the allotted resources and Budget. This is dealt under the various phases of construction management which are interdependent on each other. Thus in order the achieve the Primary objectives of Construction Project management, all the phases of work should be performed efficiently and scheduled accordingly. This Planning Scheduling & Sequencing of various activities depending upon the available resources (manual and machinery), cost, weather conditions, site conditions etc. is nothing but the Construction Time Management.

Construction Time Management

Construction time management includes the processes required for the timely completion of the construction project. Planning, Scheduling, Sequencing of activities, estimating the duration of different activities, development of the schedule and controlling it are all the various processes that comes under the domain of construction project time management. These processes interact with each other and also with that of other domains of Construction project management. Each process involves a group or single person depending upon the size of the project. Every process happens once or in every phase of the project life cycle if the project is divided into various phases. And these process which shown here as discrete and single unit, actually overlaps and interacts in practice. In case of smaller projects i.e. projects with smaller scope, all these processes ( Planning, scheduling, duration estimating, schedule development, control etc ) will be tightly linked with each other that it can be viewed as a single process which can be carried out in a relatively short time period.

Significance of construction Time Management

Over the world and in India the major problem associated with the Construction industry is the Construction Project delay. Cost overruns and problems of Quality are subsequent issues that follow due to the Construction Project Delay. In India nearly 80 % of the projects suffers delay in execution. For example the delay in Infrastructure development for the 2010 Commonwealth games and the related issues lik the bridge collapse and cost overruns are well known. These issues are all the result many factors but the dominating one is the Lack of Proper Time management.

Timely completion of the construction project is frequently seen as the major criterion of Project success by the clients, contractors and consultants. The delay in construction results in the extension of project time limit, which in turn results in extra cost incurrence. For example, a project delayed by certain period say a month needs extra cost for maintenance, security and labor charges. sometimes the cost of certain resources might increase with time and in such cases this price hike is also incurred in the cost overruns of the project. Thus the root cause for the various Problems in a Construction Project is its Delay which is due Improper management of Construction Time management. As a result the Domain of Construction Time Management is important and significant in the present day's Construction Industry which is the hub of lump sum turnovers to its stakeholders.

Processes Of Construction Time Management

Processes of Construction Time Management

Defining the Activity

Sequencing of the Activities

Activity Resource Estimation

Activity Duration Estimation

Schedule Development

Schedule Control

Fig.3.3 : Construction Time Management - Overview

Defining The Activity Defining the schedule activities of a construction project involves identifying and documenting of the work planned to e performed. The Activity Definition process will identify the deliverables at the lowest level in the work breakdown structure (WBS), which is called the work package. Project work packages are planned (decomposed) into smaller components called schedule activities to provide a basis for estimating, scheduling, executing, and monitoring and controlling the project work. Implicit in this process is defining and planning the schedule activities such that the project objectives will be met.

Fig.3.3 : Activity Definition

Sequencing of the Activities Activity sequencing involves identifying and documenting the logical relationships among schedule activities. Schedule activities can be logically sequenced with proper precedence relationships, as well as leads and lags to support later development of a realistic and achievable project schedule. Sequencing can be performed by using project management software or by using manual techniques. Manual and automated techniques can also be used in combination.

Fig.3.4 : Activity Sequencing

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) PDM is a method of constructing a project schedule network diagram that uses boxes or rectangles, referred to as nodes, to represent activities and connects them with arrows that show the dependencies. Figure 6-5 shows a simple project schedule network diagram drawn using PDM. This technique is also called activityon- node (AON), and is the method used by most project management software packages. PDM includes four types of dependencies or precedence relationships. Finish-to-Start. The initiation of the successor activity depends upon the completion of the predecessor activity. Finish-to-Finish. The completion of the successor activity depends upon the completion of the predecessor activity. Start-to-Start. The initiation of the successor activity depends upon the initiation of the predecessor activity. Start-to-Finish. The completion of the successor activity depends upon the initiation of the predecessor activity. In PDM, finish-to-start is the most commonly used type of precedence relationship. Startto-finish relationships are rarely used. Activity Resource Estimation Estimating schedule activity resources involves determining what resources (persons, equipment, or materiel) and what quantities of each resource will be used, and when each resource will be available to perform project activities. The Activity Resource Estimating process is closely coordinated with the Cost Estimating process. For example, a construction project team will need to be familiar with local building codes. Such knowledge is often readily available from local sellers. However, if the local labor pool lacks experience with unusual or specialized construction techniques, the additional cost for a consultant might be the most effective way to secure knowledge of the local building codes.

Fig.3.5 : Resource Estimation

Activity Duration Estimation The process of estimating schedule activity durations uses information on schedule activity scope of work, required resource types, estimated resource quantities, and resource calendars with resource availabilities. The process also requires inputs from the person or groups who are most familiar and perform different activities in various phases of the construction Project. With the progress in the design works the detail and the precision of these inputs will increase and so the estimation of duration becomes more accurate. The Activity Duration Estimating process requires that the amount of work effort required to complete the schedule activity is estimated, the assumed amount of resources to be applied to complete the schedule activity is estimated, and the number of work periods needed to complete the schedule activity is determined. All data and assumptions that support duration estimating are documented for each activity duration estimate. Estimating the number of work periods required to complete a schedule activity can require consideration of elapsed time as a requirement related to a specific type of work. Most project management software for scheduling will handle this situation by using a project calendar and alternative workperiod resource calendars that are usually identified by the resources that require specific work periods. The schedule activities will be worked according to the project calendar, and the schedule activities to which the resources are assigned will also be worked according to the appropriate resource calendars.

Fig. 3.6 : Activity Duration Estimation Schedule Development Project schedule development is an iterative process which determines planned start and finish dates for project activities. Schedule development can require that duration estimates and resource estimates are reviewed and revised to create an approved project schedule that can serve as a baseline against

which progress can be tracked. Schedule development continues throughout the project as work progresses, the project management plan changes, and anticipated risk events occur or disappear as new risks are identified.

Fig.3.7 : Schedule Development Schedule Control Schedule Control is concerned with : determining the current status of the project schedule. influencing the factors that causes schedule changes. determining that the project schedule has changed. managing the actual changes as they occur.

Fig.3.8 : Schedule Control