AR6012 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT

UNIT II - INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Project Network - Events, Activity, Dummy, Network Rules, Graphical Guidelines for Network, Numbering the
Events, Cycles, Development of Network, Steps in development of Network. Work Breakdown Structure, Hierarchies.

1. What is Event?
Event is a specific instant of time at which a particular part of project plan has to be completed. The start or end
of an activity is called event. It doesn’t require time period or resources. Example: in constructing a foundation,
‘completion of excavation’ is an event. A runner touching the finish line is event and running is the activity.

2. What is Activity?
Activity is a task and is part of the project. It consists start and end time-events. It requires a time period and
resources for completion. Example: in constructing a foundation, ‘excavation’ is an activity. Running by a runner in a
track is the activity.

3. What are the steps in Fulkerson’s Rule for

Number the single ‘initial’ event with only arrows coming out of it, as 1 (no arrows enter it)
Neglect all the arrows emerging out of initial event numbered as 1. One or more new initial events will be
present.
Number those event(s) as 2, 3, 4 so on, starting from top to bottom.
Neglect all the arrows emerging out of new initial event(s) numbered as 2, 3, 4 so on. Few more new initial
events will be present.
Repeat step 3.
Repeat step 4 till all the events are numbered.

4. What is Dummy activity?

Dummy activity is an imaginary activity which doesn’t requires neither time nor resources and never affects the
network, but it is used to avoid mistakes in network rules and maintain logic flow of events.
Example: Assume activities A and B start and end at same events 1 and 2 respectively. i. e,
A
1 2
- Incorrect representation
B
3
A - Correct representation using Dummy activity
1
Dummy activity
2
B

5. What is Network?
Network is a diagrammatic representation of a work plan. It shows the activities, in step-by-step sequence,
leading to the final goal. It shows the inter-dependence between the activities and their sequence. It also gives the
start time, time required and end time for the activities.
Example: the set of 5 major activities in a contracted construction are Briefing, designing, tendering,
construction and commissioning. It can be represented in a network as follows;
Briefing Designing Tendering Construction Commissioning

6. What are the advantages of project network?

Project Network gives clear relationship between the activities and events
It is useful in preparing schedules for highly complicated projects with large activities
It directly provides the time elapsed between 2 activities and hence useful in controlling and rescheduling.
It uses probability for time estimation in projects with uncertainties, such as Research projects
7. What are the Network Rules?
a) Initial node has only outgoing arrows. There must be only one initial node in a network.
1

3
Events 1 and 2 are 2 initial nodes; this is not correct
2
b) An event cannot occur until all the activities leading to it are completed.
c) An event cannot occur twice. There cannot be any network path looping.
1 2
Event 1 is repeating, this is not correct
1 3

d) There must not be any dead ends except final node. There can be only one final node.
4

3
Events 4 and 5 are 2 final nodes; this is not correct
5

e) No activity can start until its preceding event has occurred.

f) One arrow should represent only one activity. Single activity cannot be represented using 2 different arrows.
4
A
3
A Activity A is represented by 2 arrows; 3 – 4 and 4 – 5, this is not correct
5

g) All activities should complete in order to complete the project.

i) Time flow is shown from left to right. It should not be from right to left.
2 1
Flow of time is from right to left; this is not correct

j) Arrow directions should be from left to right and top to bottom (or bottom to top) or combination of above
two (angular).

Additional Questions:
8. How will you represent an Activity in network diagram?
9. What are the types of representation of activity?
10. What are the graphical guidelines of network?
11. What is Work Breakdown Structure?
12. What is skip numbering?
13. Problems in ‘Numbering events’ using Fulkerson’s Rule.
14. Problems in developing a network.
15. What are the rules for Dummy activity?
16. What is: Serial Activity, Parallel Activity, Successor, Predecessor, Immediate Successor, Immediate Predecessor