Precedence Networks

Chapter 4
Definition and Introduction
Precedence networks are node networks that allow for the use of four types of
relationships:

• Finish to start (FS)

• Start to start (SS)
• Finish to finish (FF)
• Start to finish (SF)
Why Precedence Networks?
Project: laying 1km of a utility pipe.
Logic is simple and as follows:

Are these five activities actually “consecutive”????

Do you need to finish the excavating the 1km before you can start subbase?....
Most likely, the answer is no!

The activities are said to be overlapping.

The project may be represented in one of two common ways.
1. The stair-type relationship:

A 5-activity project became 15 activity project.

2. The precedence diagramming method:

Excavate-6 Subbase-7 Lay pipe-4 Backfill-3 Compact-2

This scenario is unrealistic. In real life, some amount of excavation must be done (say
20%) before subbase can start. The same can be said of the other steps

Excavate-6 Subbase-7 Lay pipe-4 Backfill-3 Compact-2

1 2 1 1
With careful estimates of both durations and lags, this method can work well.
However, what may result is an awkward situation in which a successor finishes before the
predecessor.
In our example, FF relationships ensure that no successor can finish before its predecessor.

Excavate-6 Subbase-7 Lay pipe-4 Backfill-3 Compact-2

1 2 1 1

1 1

Excavate-6 Subbase-7 Lay pipe-4 Backfill-3 Compact-2

1 2 1 1
The four types of relationships
▪ Finish to start (FS): the most common type of relationships.
The doors cannot be hung until door frames have been installed.

▪ Start to start (SS):the SS relationship is common and extremely useful.

Excavation for the foundation cannot start until clearing grubbing begins

▪ Finish to finish (FF): the FF relationship is also common and useful.

Backfilling a trench cannot finish until the pipe in the trench is laid

▪ Start to finish (SF): the SF relationship is uncommon in construction projects.

A Parallel Predecessor
▪ If A is a predecessor of B with an SS
relationship, both may occur in parallel .
Would A still be called a predecessor?
▪ The answer is yes because A must start first
(even with zero lag).
▪ If B starts several days after A starts, the logic is
not violated.
▪ Activity A controls activity B and is still called a
predecessor.
Note the direction of the arrow : it points from the
activity that controls to the activity that is controlled.
CPM calculations for precedence networks
The CPM calculations for precedence diagrams differ from those for standard arrow
or node diagrams.

However, before starting calculations with CPM, we must make an important

distinction between:

▪ Interruptible activities: Once an activity starts, it can be paused and then resume.
▪ Contiguous activities: Once an activity starts, it must continue till it is finished.
CPM calculations for precedence networks
Interruptible Activities

0 10 0 5 0 3
A-10 B-5 C-3 Figure1
0 10 5 10 7 10

6 1
0 10 6 11 7 10
A-10 B-5 C-3 Figure2
0 11 6 11 8 11
0 10 0 10 0 10
A-10 B-5 C-3 Figure3

0 10 5 10 7 10

0 10 0 12 0 12
A-10 B-12 C-3 Figure4
2 12 0 12 9 12
0 10 0 10 0 10
A-10 B-5 C-3 Figure5
0 10 5 10 7 10

0 5 0 7 0 9
A-5 B-7 C-9 Figure6
0 9 0 9 0 9
CPM calculations for precedence networks
Interruptible Activities- the simplistic approach
CPM calculations for precedence diagrams are similar to, but not the same as
the CPM calculations discussed previously.
The following example illustrate the calculations procedure.

0 5 0 7 0 7
A-5 B-7 C-3 Figure7
0 7 0 7 4 7
In the forward pass,
Activity A starts the projects. ES=0, EF=0+5=5
Activity B is connected to A by 2 relationships: SS and FF.
ES(B)= ES (A)+lag(if any) = 0,
However the early finish of B is controlled by the max of:
EF(B)=ES(B) + Dur = 0+7=7 or EF(B)= EF(A)+lag(if any) = 5
Thus, EF(B)=7

The same method applies for C.

ES (C)=ES(B)+lag(if any) = 0,
However the early finish of C is controlled by the max of:
EF(C)=ES(C) + Dur = 0+3=3 or EF(C)= EF(B)+lag(if any) = 7
Thus, EF(C)=7
In the backward pass,
Activity C must finish no earlier than day 7. LF(C)=7, LS=7-3=4

Activity B must finish no later than the LF(C).

LF(B)= LF(C)-lag(if any) = 7,
However the latest start of B is controlled by the min of:
LS(B)=LF(B) - Dur = 7-7=0 or LS(B)= LS(C)-lag(if any) = 4
Thus, LS(B)=0

Activity A must finish no later than the LF(B).

LF (A)=LF(B)-lag(if any) = 7,
However the latest start of A is controlled by the min of:
LS(A)=LF(A) - Dur = 7-5=2 or LS(B)= LS(B)-lag(if any) = 0
Thus, LS(A)=0
Example1:
Activity Duration Immediate Type of Lag
(weeks) predecessors relation
A 2 ----
B 6 A
C 11 A SS 1
D 7 B SS 2
FF 0
E 4 B
C FF 5
F 8 ----
G 3 D,E
F FF 4
 2
4 11
0 2 2 8
B-6 D-7
A-2 10 17
0 7 7 13
Start 17 20
8 17
E-4 G-3
1 12 13 17 17 20
1 C-11
5
1 12
0 8
4
F-8
8 16
Forward pass,
Activity A: starts the projects. ES=0, EF=0+2=2
Activity B: ES(B)= EF (A)= 2, EF(B)=2+6=7
Activity C: ES(C) = ES(A)+lag=1+0=1 , EF(C)= 1+11=12
Activity D: ES(D) = ES(B)+lag=2+2=4 , EF(D)= max{4+7=11 or 8}=11
Activity E: ES(E)=8, EF(E)= MAX{8+4=12 or 12+5=17}=17
Activity F: ES(F)=0, EF(F)= 0+8=8
Activity G: ES(G)=max{EF(E)=17,EF(B)=11}=17 ,
EF(G)=max{ES(G)+Dur=17+3=20 or EF(F)+Lag=8+4=12}=20
Backward pass,
Activity G: LF(G)=20, LS(G)=20-3=17
Activity F: LF(F)=LF(G)-Lag=20-4=16,LS(F)=16-8=8
Activity E: LF(E) =17, LS(E)= 17-4=13
Activity D: LF(D) = 17, LS(D)=17-7=10
Activity B: LF(B)=min{LF(D)=17 or LS(E)=13}=13,
LS(B)=min{LF(B)-Dur=13-6=7 or LS(D)-Lag= 10-2=8}=7
Activity C: LF(C)=LF(E)-Lag= 17-5=12, LS(C)= 12-11=1
Activity A: LF(A)=LS(B)=7,
LS(A)=min{LS(C) -Lag =1-1=0 or LS(A)-Dur=7-2=5}=0
Unlike the arrow and node diagrams, precedence networks may show the start or
finish of an activity to be critical while the rest of the activity is not.

2 3
0 10 2 10 5 10
A-10 B-3 C-5 Figure8
0 10 2 10 5 10

In figure8, both A and C are completely critical. Activity B has a critical start and a critical finish but is
not critical.

Activity B must start on day 2 and must finish on day 10. note that B has a duration of 3 days, but must
fill an 8-day interval. Thus, B has 5days double-restricted float(start-finish-restricted float)
 0 5 0 7 0 7
A-5 B-7 C-3 Figure9
0 7 0 7 4 7

In figure9, activity A must start at 0 otherwise activity B, which is critical, will be delayed. Activity
A has 2 days of restricted float (start-restricted float).

Activity C has 4 days of float at its start. However, no matter when it starts, it must finish on day 7.
C has 4 days restricted float (finish-restricted float).
Definitions
▪ Start-restricted float (of an activity) : the amount of time we can delay the
rest of the work in the activity, after it has started, without delaying the
entire project.
▪ Finish-restricted float (of an activity): the amount of time we can delay the
start of work on the activity, or the rest of , then finish on time without
delaying the entire project.
▪ Double-restricted float (of an activity) the amount of time we have to delay
the rest of the work in the activity, after it has started, then finish on time
without delaying the entire project.
▪ Unrestricted float (of an activity) the amount of time we can delay all or
part of the activity without delaying the entire project.
Equations
For calculation purposes, let us put both start-restricted float and finish-restricted
float under one category, single-restricted float (SRF), as compared with
double-restricted float (DRF) or unrestricted float (URF).
Total float (TF) includes all types of float, restricted and unrestricted.
TF (URF +SRF + DRF)= LF- ES- Dur
1. DRF= Max [(EF – LS – Dur), 0]
2. URF = Min [(LS – ES), (LF – EF)]
3. SRF = TF - URF - DRF
4. If (LF – EF) > (LS – ES) , Then SRF is start restricted
however,
If (LF – EF) < (LS – ES) , Then SRF is finish restricted
CPM calculations for precedence networks
Contiguous Activities

2 3
0 10 7 10 10 15
A-10 B-3 C-5 Figure10
0 10 7 10 10 15
To formulize the rules, we can say that activities with a combination (SS and FF)
relationship, say A and B, for example, will have two sets of early dates and two
sets of late dates. One set will prevail:

a. In the forward pass, the SS relationship (plus lag if any) determine the ES1 date
for activity B, which is ES (for A) + 2 (lag)=2. the EF1 for B is calculated as
EF1=ES1+Dur=2+3= 5 . The first set of early dates for activity B is (2, 5).

b. The FF relationship (plus lag if any) determine the EF2 date for activity B, which
is EF (for A) + 0 (lag)=10. the ES2 for B is calculated as ES2=EF2 - Dur=10 -
3= 7 . The second set of early dates for activity B is (7 , 10).

c. Pick whichever date set (ES1 , EF1) OR (ES2, EF2) is later

a. In the backward pass, the SS relationship (minus lag if any) determine the LS1
date for activity B, which is LS (for C) - 3 (lag)=7. the LF1 for B is calculated
as EF1=ES1+Dur=7+3= 10 . The first set of Late dates for activity B is (7, 10).

b. The FF relationship (minus lag if any) determine the LF2 date for activity B,
which is LF (for C) - 0 (lag)=15. the LS2 for B is calculated as LS2=LF2 -
Dur=15 - 3=12.. The second set of late dates for activity B is (12 , 15).

c. Pick whichever date set (LS1 , LF1) OR (LS2, LF2) is earlier

Example2:
Example 3:
Duration Relationshi Lag (s) a. Construct the AON network.
Immediate
Activity (days) ps b. Determine the critical path and the project
predecessors
duration.
A 15 ---- c. Which path is near-critical?
B 7 ---- d. Determine the free float and the total float of the
activities: A and D.
C 12 ----
e. If activity A is delayed by 2 days and activity D is
D 20 A
delayed by 2 days, discuss.
E 23 A FF 10
B
F 20 B SS 4
G 10 C SS 3
FF 2
H 3 D
E FS 7
I 6 F,G
J 10 H,I