Module 5 – Resource allocation and levelling
CE2900
Meenakshi Students
Department of Civil Engineering B. Tech 3rd Semester
Meenakshi@[Link]
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Constructing scheduling
• Time-oriented
• Activity time and project duration assuming unlimited availability of resources
𝑄(𝑖,𝑗)
• 𝐷(𝑖, 𝑗) =
𝑅(𝑖,𝑗)∗𝑃(𝑖,𝑗)
• Where 𝐷(𝑖,𝑗) - Duration of activity (i,j), Q(𝑖,𝑗) - Quantum of work of activity (i,j)
• 𝑅(𝑖,𝑗) - number of resources allocated for activity (i,j),
• 𝑃(𝑖,𝑗) - average productivity of unit resource for activity (i,j)
• No constraint in getting resources
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Constructing scheduling
• Resource-oriented
• Real-life projects have resource constraints
• Shortage of resources, delay in delivery, competing demand
• Therefore, resource planning and allocation becomes important
• Due to the competition between activities for a particular resource
• the demand may at times exceed the planned availability
• Resource constraints pose several operational problems in network-based scheduling.
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Project manager/construction manager/Planning engineer
1. Are there enough resources available to carry out the work as
planned?
2. How are my resources being utilized?
3. Will there be delays due to low resource productivity?
4. Is it possible to reschedule to improve resource productivity and
project performance?
It is better to think about above points only after the initial plan has
been made.
Planning based on resource can be sub-optimal
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Example
• Project having 4 activities A, B, C, and D. Assuming that activity A and C require
labour of similar expertise (T1) and activity B and D require labour of similar
expertise (T2).
Activity Precedence Man-days
A - 500
B - 200
C A 300
D B 200
• Determine the project duration, if 10 nos of T1 and 10 nos of T2 expertise labour
are available for project
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Solution
Activity Precedence Man-days Labours No. of days
A - 500 10 50
B - 200 10 20
C A 300 10 30
D B 200 10 20
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Resource deployment
• 10 nos T1 expertise labour – continuously through out the project
• 10 nos T2 expertise labour – 40 days (start/in between/end)
• Uniform resource deployment
• Not advisable/ not possible in construction projects
• Mobilizing sufficient funds during the initial stages of the project may not be possible
• Initial stage of project – learning duration
• Most of the construction activities happen during the middle stages of project and hence it is
recommended to have a gradual increase in the deployment of resources in the initial stages,
and again gradually decrease it after meeting the peak demand, which essentially happens
during the middle of the project.
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Resource aggregation or resource loading chart
Act No. of Days
Labor/each day
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
A 2
B 3
C 2
D 5
E 4
F 3
G 3
H 6
Appropriate resource
Total Labour 2 2 5 7 10 10 11 12 13 13 12 9 3 3 3 deployment
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Resource deployment
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Resource planning and scheduling
Resource planning
and scheduling
Resource levelling Resource allocation
Distribution of Availability of
resources within the resources is a
fixed project duration constraint
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Resource levelling
• Fixed project duration – project to be completed on a fixed date
• Attempt – reduce peak requirement of resources
• The process of allocating resources among various activities such that the peak
requirement of resources is reduced with a constraint on time.
• Why leveling
• Eliminate extraordinary demand for resources
• Improve Resource Productivity and Efficiency
• Predict material and equipment requirements better
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Resource levelling - steps
1. Identify critical activities
2. Arrange activities on the time axis based on their early state dates
3. Plot Resource aggregation or resource loading chart
1. determining the total number of resources required on each day by adding the resource
requirements of individual activities planned for that day, and the resource profile
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with activities being plotted using the latest start dates and
5. Compare the resource chart for EST and LST plots
6. Finding out an acceptable resource profile between the 2 extremes, eliminating
the peaks and values in the resource distribution.
Achieved by arranging non-critical activities within their float – without affecting
project duration
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Example
A 4(2) D 3(5) H 3(6)
Finish
Start B 6(3) E 4(4) G 5(3)
C 8(2) F 2(3)
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Example
0 0 4 4 0 7 7 5 10
A 4(2) D 3(5) H 3(6)
2 2 6 9 5 12 12 5 15
15 15
0 0 Finish
0 0 6 6 0 10 10 0 15
15 15
Start B 6(3) E 4(4) G 5(3)
0 0 0 0 6 6 0 10 10 0 15
8 5 10
0 0 8
C 8(2) F 2(3)
2 2 10 13 5 15
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Resource loading chart - EST
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
B 3
E 4
G 3
A 2
D 5
H 6
C 2
F 3
Total Labour 7 7 7 7 10 10 11 12 13 13 3 3 3 3 3
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Resource loading chart - LST
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
B 3
E 4
G 3
A 2
D 5
H 6
C 2
F 3
Total Labour 3 3 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 11 8 8 9 12 12
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LST
EST
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Resource loading chart – Levelled Resource
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
B 3
E 4
G 3
A 2
D 5
H 6
C 2
F 3
Total Labour 3 5 7 7 7 7 11 11 11 10 9 9 6 6 3
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Resource levelling
Resource loading graph – EST Resource loading graph – LST Resource loading graph – Levelled
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Example
• in the example network, the duration of each of the activities is written below the
arrow, while the resource requirement is shown in the bracket adjacent to the
activity name.
• Find the resource requirement and perform resource levelling
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Resource allocation
• Resource allocation – when availability of resources is a constraint
• Limited availability of resources – some activities may have to be necessarily
delayed.
• The basic objective is to find out which of the activities can be delayed and finally,
arrive at the shortest possible time to complete the project, satisfying the resource
constraints. This may or may not result in the delay of the project
• Try to ensure – project is not delayed
• Sometimes critical activity might also suffer, leading to increased project duration
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Resource allocation - steps
• Identify the critical activities in the network and Allocate resources day-wise
• if at any time the resource requirement exceeds availability, then allocation of resources to
activities should follow the following rules –
• Rule 1: Critical activities get the first preference.
• Rule 2: Ongoing activities should not be stopped in the middle.
• Rule 3: Allocate resources to activities that have the least earliest starting time, and,
• Rule 4: If 2 activities have the same EST, then allocate the resources to the activity that has a lesser float.
• Rule 5: If 1 critical activity and 1 activity with least early start already delayed, then give preference to
non-critical
• Note:
• Activities may be rescheduled due to resource allocation, which may result in certain activities becoming
critical.
• It should be ensured that the above is accounted for in making a decision based on the above rules.
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Resource allocation - Example
• For the figure shown below, calculate the project completion time, draw the bar chart and calculate
the resource requirement per day.
• Imagine you are the project manager and you are sure that the maximum resource possible is 8.
determine if there is any delay in the project completion.
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Resource loading chart - EST
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 11 11 11 10 6 6 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 11 11 10 10 6 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 11 10 10 10 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 7 10 10 10 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 7 7 10 10 7 3 3 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 7 7 7 10 10 3 3 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 7 7 7 7 10 6 3 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 4 4 4 4
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Resource loading chart
Activity No. of Days
Labor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
A 2
C 4
E 3
G 4
D 4
B 3
F 3
Total Labour 2 2 2 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 4 4 4 4 4
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Example
• For the project given below in the picture, please calculate the maximum number
of resources required and then
• Ex 1 – Perform resource levelling
• Ex 2 – Perform resource allocation if the maximum number of resource available
are 20 each day.
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Network crashing
• Construction projects – considerable amounts of time and money.
• Target – activities to be completed with the minimum time and cost.
• Time and cost are largely dependent on the resources allocated to the individual
activities in the project
• Duration of an activity can be reduced to a certain extent by increasing the
resources assigned to it.
• Crashing an activity (Crashing the network):
• Reducing the time required to complete an activity (in hopes that this will reduce the
completion time of the entire project) by assigning additional resources to that activity
• Reducing the duration time of the activities on the critical path may change the critical path
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Network crashing
• Normal duration vs Crash duration
• Cost
• Indirect cost – Infrastructure rent, regional and head-office expenses
• Direct cost – material cost, machine cost, labour charges, etc.
• Crash duration
• Indirect cost – decreases due to decreased duration
• Direct cost – increases due to increased resources
• Cost-time trade off
• The analysis of the interrelationship between the time and cost of a project in order to minimize
its cost and duration is called the cost-time trade-off.
• Crashing - Expediting an activity to an earlier time by mobilizing more resources, committing more
resources to it.
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Cost-time trade off
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Cost slope of an activity
• The extra cost in expediting an activity to reduce its duration by unit time is called
the cost slope of that activity
Crash Cost – Normal Cost
• Cost slope =
Normal Time – Crash Time
• The cost mentioned here are direct cost
• Normal cost – cost to finish the activity in normal duration
• Crash cost – cost to finish the activity in crashed duration
• The activity that has the minimum cost slope should be crashed first.
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Crashing a network: Procedure
• identify the critical path or paths of the network and the corresponding activities
• Determine the project cost, find the cost slope of critical activities
• Rank the critical activities in ascending order of the cost slope
• Crash the activities in the critical path as per the ranking
• Activities can be crashed only till their respective crash durations
• Calculate the revised project cost
• Repeat steps 1 to 5 till the optimum cost and duration have been obtained.
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Example
• A project consist of 7 activities A to G as shown in figure. The details of normal
duration, normal cost, crash duration and crash cost of each of the activities of the
project are given in Table. Calculate the optimum time and cost of the project
completion by network crashing if the indirect cost per day is 6000 Rs.
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