OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIPS

BY
PROF. DR. LIAQAT ALI QURESHI UET TAXILA

OVERLAPPING

Generally in all networks, it is assumed that a following activity can only start after the completion of the preceding activity. If the following activity can start earlier than this then the preceding activity can be divided into no. of sub activities. This however enlarges the size of the network, requires more calculations and introduces extra work in drawing the network and inputting data for the network calculations. It can also introduce , particularly in the case of arrow diagrams, many dummy activities.

To avoid this, we introduce the networks which are based on overlapping relationships. These overlapping activities can be handled without increasing the size of the network, if preceding diagramming notation is used together with lead, lag and link ideas. Overlapping activities, as compared to nonoverlapping activities, gives more realistic network representations of projects, while it generally leads to shorter project durations.

Example projects are pipeline construction, road construction, railway construction, high rise building construction and others.
Also, when activities are aggregated, overlapping can not be avoided.
Precedence diagrams are preferred for handling overlapping relationships.

Overlapping analysis requires the introduction of term lead time denoted by LT.

It is the time between completing/starting of one activity or part of an activity and starting/completing of another activity or part of activity, based on an analysis of the work content of these activities.
Lead time may be expressed as an absolute value e.g. in days or as a percentage of the duration of an activity.

More than one overlapping relationships may exist between two activities. Non-overlapping type networks are actually a special form of Finish-to-Start Relationship with LT=0. In overlapping cases, activities are assumed continuous and the start, finish and duration of an activity are connected.

a)

b)

c)

In spite of the benefits of incorporating overlapping relationships, still some practitioners prefer conventional (non-overlapping type) networks due to the fact: Extra skill and extra awareness is required by an engineer setting up overlapping networks. Extra awareness is required in ensuring the correctness of final network. The associated bar chart and other information on such networks require extra time to understand.

TYPES OF OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIPS

1- FINISH-TO-START RELATIONSHIP

Assume that concrete can only be poured after placing the reinforcing steel and having the steel inspected.
Without introducing the idea of lead time, the bar chart and part of the network appear in figures below:

10

20

30

Days A Place Reinforcement B Inspect Steel

Pour Concrete

Bar chart

Conventional Diagram
A 10 Days B C

1 Day

1 Day

Overlapping Diagram

LT 1 Day

By introducing the idea of lead time, governing equations are:

ESTJ = LSTJ = LFTi = EFTi + LT LFTi + LT LSTJ - LT

2- START-TO-START RELATIONSHIP

In building construction, trades are able to start before other trades are finished. Rendering of the internal walls of a building may begin shortly after some of the walls have been erected by the bricklayers. The lead time in this case is 3 days that has to pass after bricklaying has started before rendering can begin.

10

20

30

Days A Brick Laying Rendering

B
LTi = 3 Days

Bar Chart

Conventional Diagram
A First 3 Days A Remainder

Overlapping Diagram
LTi = 3 Days

Governing equations are:

ESTJ = ESTi LSTJ = LSTi + + LTi LTi

LFTi =

LSTJ

LTi + DURi

3- FINISH-TO-FINISH RELATIONSHIP

Assume that that the architraves and cornices are installed following the plastering of the wall, also. The completion of the installation of the architraves and cornices is controlled by the completion of the plastering. Activity J is now the activity which is split and so the lead time is subjected to J.

10

20

30

Days A Plastering Architraves Cornices

B LTj = 2 Days

Bar Chart

Conventional Diagram
A B Second Half

First Half

Overlapping Diagram
LTj = 1 Day

Governing equations are:

or

EFTJ = ESTJ =

EFTi EFTi

+ +

LTJ LTJ

- DURJ

0 LTJ DURJ Also LFTJ = LFTi = LFTi LFTJ + LTJ LTJ

4- START-TO-FINISH RELATIONSHIP

Start-to-Finish relationships may apply when the following activitys finish is determined by the start of the preceding activity. Consider construction adjacent to some trees that are to be preserved. Once the trees start to be removed, it is assumed that it is 3 days before the trees can start being replanted, and it will take a further 2 days before all trees are replanted. The subscripts i and J on the lead times in this case imply that both activities i and J are split.

10

20

30

LTi = 3 Days

Days A Remove Trees Construction And Replant Trees

LTj = 2 Days

Bar Chart

Conventional Diagram
A A Remaining 10 days (part remove)

First 3 Days (part remove)

B
Const.

B Replant Trees

Overlapping Diagram
LTi = 3 Days A LTJ = 2 Days B

Governing equations are:

EFTJ = ESTi + LTi + LTJ ESTJ = ESTi + LTi + LTJ - DURJ LFTJ = LFTi = LSTi + LTi + LTj LFTJ - LTi - LT + DURi

or

NETWORK CALCULATIONS

Forward Pass Calculations (EST , EFT)

ESTO = EFTO =
(max all i,J) =

or ESTj

0 ESTO + DURO

EFTi

+ LT

(F/S (S/S

LT) LTi) LTJ)

ESTi + LTi

EFTi + LTJ - DURJ (F/F ESTi + LTi + LTJ - DURJ

(F/F

LTi

LTJ)

Backward Pass Calculations (LST , LFT)

LFTn = EFTn or LSTn = LFTn - DURn LFTi (min all i,j) =

LSTJ
LSTJ LFTJ LFTJ -

LT
LTJ

(F/S
(F/F LTi

LT)
LTi) LTJ) LTJ)

LTi + DURJ (S/S LTi - LTJ + DURJ

(S/F LSTi = LFTi - DURi

FLOAT CALCULATIONS
TFi = LFTi - EFTi = LSTi - ESTi

FFi (min all i,j) =

ESTJ ESTJ ESTJ ESTJ (EFTi + LT) (F/S) (ESTi + Lti) (S/S) (EFTi + LTJ DURJ) (F/F) (ESTi + LTi + LTJ DURJ) (S/F)

EXAMPLE

COMMENTS

For the forward pass, the EST and EFT are calculated and displayed based on an EST of the first activity A as zero. The EST of E has to be upgraded from -5 to 0 before its EFT is calculated. An alternative way of handling this situation is to introduce a dummy START activity, which automatically establishes a finish-to-start relationship between activities, START and E, and ensures that EST of E is zero, if START is set to zero.

COMMENTS (- ctd -)

For the backward pass, the latest finish time of the last activity, G, is set equal to its EFT (21). This implies that G will have a total float of 0 and hence is a critical activity. However, the LFT for F is 25. This implies a 4 day float for G.
An alternative way of handling this situation is to introduce a dummy FINISH activity, which automatically calculate G as non critical and the critical path is passing through START-A-B-D-FFINISH.