Civil Engineer Expert

The four project scheduling techniques widely used in construction projects are:

. Bar Charts and Linked Bar Charts
. Network Analysis and Critical Path Method
. Line of Balance
. Q Scheduling

These are briefed below, in which Q Scheduling is now a new technique increasingly applied in construction project management.

1- Bar Charts and Linked Bar Charts;

Bar Charts are the easiest and most widely used form of scheduling in construction management. Even with other scheduling techniques the eventual schedule is presented the form of a bar chart. A typical Bar chart is a list of activities with the start, duration and finish of each activity shown as a bar plotted to a time scale. The level of detail of the activities depends on the intended use of the schedule.
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The chart is named after Henry Laurence Gantt, who refined the concept of using a bar chart to control steps relevant to the process of shipbuilding.

The Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that is helpful in laying out the tasks associated with a given project. When executed properly, the Gantt chart helps to ensure that the project schedule is maintained at a reasonable pace, and that the individual tasks that make up the work breakdown schedule logically progress in a manner that moves the project closer to completion. A Gantt chart can be used for just about any type of project, from laying out a marketing strategy or planning a building project.
The chart is named after Henry Laurence Gantt, who refined the concept of using a bar chart to control steps relevant to the process of shipbuilding. During the 20th century, the essentials of his process chart were applied to projects that had nothing to do with the building of ships. Today, the Gantt chart is used to establish a precedence network that determines the priority level of each task associated with the project. At the same time, the chart also evaluates the dependency relationships of each of the tasks. Together, these two aspects of the Gantt chart make it possible arrange and project the completion time of various tasks in a manner that shows a logical progression toward the successful completion of the project.

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Analyze and manage risks in construction is very important for project management. This help to avoid or limit risks in construction projects.

The construction risks can be broadly grouped under the following categories:

. Technical Risks

* Incomplete design.
* Inadequate site investigation.
* Uncertainty over the source and availability of materials.
* Appropriateness of specifications.

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Feasibility studies are preliminary investigations into the potential benefits associated with undertaking a specific activity or project.

The main purpose of the feasibility study is to consider all factors associated with the project, and determine if the investment of time and other resources will yield a desirable result. While considered a preliminary study, it is not unusual for a feasibility study to be highly detailed.

When a business is considering a new operation or the launch of a new product, the feasibility study is a logical tool to employ before any resources are invested in the new project. One of the most important aspects of the study is to make sure that the total investment needed to successfully bring the project to completion is considered. Often, this will include addressing components such as cash reserves, labor, construction, production facilities, outsourcing, and the cost of raw materials. Only when the feasibility study has addressed the total cost of completing the project can the study progress to the next level.

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These ten rules will help improve your construction projects. Are these ten rules the top ten? It is up to your decide, but not take too long. Share these rules with your team. Your team members are sure to help you carry them out.

Are you a project manager or going to manage your projects?

These ten rules will help improve your construction projects. Are these ten rules the top ten? It is up to your decide, but not take too long. Share these rules with your team. Your team members are sure to help you carry them out.

1. Adopt practices for exploring a variety of perspectives.
We think we see what we see, but we don’t. We really see what we think. Remember the blind men and the elephant. Make it your habit to inquire what others see. You’ll see more together.
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Construction professionals need to know how to balance the contingencies of risk with their specific contractual, financial, operational and organizational requirements.

Risk Management

Construction professionals need to know how to balance the contingencies of risk with their specific contractual, financial, operational and organizational requirements. In order to achieve this balance, proper risk identification and risk analysis is required. The risk management process entails identifying construction risks and exposures, and formulating an effective risk management strategy to mitigate the potential for loss.

Many construction professionals look at risks individually with a myopic lens and do not realize the potential impact that other associated risks may have on their business operations. Using a holistic risk management approach will enable a firm to identify all of the organization’s business risks. This will increase the probability of risk mitigation, with the ultimate goal of total risk elimination.
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Quality control and Construction Safety represent increasingly important concerns for project managers.

 Weak quality control leads to defects or failures in constructed facilities, thus result in very large costs. Even with minor defects, re-construction may be required and facility operations impaired. Increased costs and delays are the result. In the worst case, failures may cause personal injuries or fatalities. Accidents during the construction process can similarly result in personal injuries and large costs. Indirect costs of insurance, inspection and regulation are increasing rapidly due to these increased direct costs. Good project managers try to ensure that the job is done right the first time and that no major accidents occur on the project.

As with cost control, the most important decisions regarding the quality of a completed facility are made during the design and planning stages rather than during construction. It is during these preliminary stages that component configurations, material specifications and functional performance are decided. Quality control during construction consists largely of insuring conformance to these original design and planning decisions.
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