Resource Allocation

• Resource: Physical variable- Manpower,

Material, Machine, etc., to complete various
activities of the project.
• CPM & PERT Analysis: Assumptions:
Sufficient resources are available- No
constraint.
• Actually- Resources are constraints –
Fluctuate time to time-Significantly affect the
project.
• The organization should utilize the resource
to optimum extent and not to waste it anyway
 Method of Resource Allocation
• Resource smoothing
• Resource Levelling
 What is the difference between
'resource smoothing' and
'resource levelling?
• Resource smoothing is used when the time
constraint takes priority. The objective is to
complete the work by the required date while
avoiding peaks and troughs of resource
demand.
• Resource levelling is used when limits on the
availability of resources are paramount. It
simply answers the question ‘With the
resources available, when will the work be
finished?’
 Resource Smoothing
• Activities are shifted according to the
availability of float and requirement of
resources.
• Intelligent use of floats can smoothen the
demand to the maximum possible extent.
• Example 1
 Required Resources for Painting
Project –Smoothing the Resources
Table of Activity & Resource Demand
Resource Utilization Graph
 Resource Smoothing
Minimize resource requirement fluctuations
Resources applied as uniformly as possible
Must keep project schedule within required
time
Delay start of noncritical activities
Use positive slack/ Total Float
Smoothing of Resources
Smoothed Utilization of Painters
• Example 2
 Smoothen the Backhoe Requirement

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

13
Smoothed Number of Backhoes
• Example 3
S. No. Activity Expected No of the labour
time tij required
1. (1 - 2) A 3 4
2. (1 - 3) B 2 5
3. (1 - 4) C 5 7
4. (2 - 7) D 6 6
5. (3 - 5) E 4 2
6. (4 - 5) F 3 4
7. (4 - 6) G 1 2
8. (5 - 7) H 4 5
9. (6 - 7) I 2 3
 Draw the Network Diagram
2

B2 E4 H4
1 3 5 7

4 G1
6
 FIND THE CRITICAL PATH AND TOTAL
FLOATS
TE = 3
TL = 6
2

TE = 0 TE = 2 TE = 8 TE = 12
TL = 0 TL = 4 TL = 8 TL = 12
B (5) E (2) H (5)
1 3 5 7
2 4 4

4 G (2) 6
1
TE = 5 TE = 6
TL = 5 TL = 10
 Activity Activity Earliest Earliest Latest Latest Float Remark
duration start time finish start time finish
(EST) TIE time EFT LST time LFT
(1 – 2) 3 0 3 3 6 3

(1 – 3) 2 0 2 2 4 2

(1 – 4) 5 0 5 0 5 0 Critical

(2 – 7) 6 3 9 6 12 3

(3 – 5) 4 2 6 4 8 2

(4 – 5) 3 5 8 5 8 0 Critical

(4 – 6) 1 5 6 9 10 4

(5 – 7) 4 8 12 8 12 0 Critical

(6 – 7) 2 6 8 10 12 4

The critical path is along 1-4-5-7 as shown on the diagram with thick line.
The duration of project along the critical path = 12 days.
 Draw the Table of Activity & Resource
Demand
Duration 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Activity
1–2 4 4 4
1–3 5 5
1–4 7 7 7 7 7
2–7 6 6 6
3–5 2 2 2 2
4–5 4 4 4
4–6 2
5–7 5 5 5 5
6–7 3 3
16 16 13 15 15 14 13 13 11 5 5 5

From the bar chart of Table it will be seen that the demand of labour varies from 5 to 16.
The maximum demand of 16 labors is for two days only.

To smoothen the fluctuation let us adjust the activities having floats.

 Floats in Descending Order
Activity EST EFT LST LFT FLOAT Remark

6–7 6 8 10 12 4 Non critical

activity
4–6 5 6 9 10 4 ‘’

2–7 3 9 6 12 3 ‘’

1–2 0 3 3 6 3 ‘’

1–3 0 2 2 4 2 ‘’

3–5 2 6 4 8 2 ‘’

1–4 0 5 0 5 0 Critical activity

4–5 5 8 5 8 0 ‘’

5–7 8 12 8 12 0 ‘’

The activities 6 – 7 and 4 – 6 have maximum float of 4 days each. Activities 2 – 7 and 1 – 2 have floats of 3 days
each.
The float is so adjusted that the requirement of resources may remain practically constant. The resource
distribution is shown in Table
 Table
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1–2 4 4 4 2 day
shift
1–3 5 5 same
1–4 7 7 7 7 7 same
2–7 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 day
shift
3–5 2 2 2 2 same
4–5 4 4 4 same
4–6 2 same
5–7 5 5 5 5 same
6–7 3 3 same
12 12 13 13 13 12 13 13 13 11 11 5

By shifting the activity 1 – 2 by 2 days, activity 2 – 7 by 3 days

the resource variation has come down to 5 to 13.
• Example 4
Resource Allocation
RESOURCE USAGE PROFILE

The demand of the masons is as high as

13 on 7th and 8th days, while it is as low
as 1 in the beginning and end of the
project.

Similarly, the demand of

the labourers is as high
as 10 on 7th and 8th
days, while it is as low
as 2 in the beginning
and the end of the
project.
This shows the great variation in the resources (i.e. manpower)
requirements. If 13 masons are employed to meet the peak demand,
they will sit idle during the non-peak periods. This will be highly
uneconomical unless we employ them on temporary basis only as per
actual requirements each day. However, skilled persons such as
masons, foreman etc. are required to be employed on the permanent
basis.
Therefore, the planning should be done in such a manner that
resources are utilized in a more or less uniform manner.

In the network the peak requirements of masons are there on 7th and 8th
day. Also, the requirements of masons on 5th and 6th day is high. Also, the
requirements of mason on 11th day and onwards is very low.

By inspection, we find the activities 2-5 and 5-9, have a total float of 7 days.
Hence the start time of activity 5-9 can be shifted by 7 days. This will give
encouraging results since this activity requires 5 masons. As a first trial
therefore, let us shift activity 5-9 by 7 days, so that it starts on 12th day
instead of 5th day.
From this, we find that the
peak demand for masons
has decreased from 13
(for 7th and 8th day) to 8
(for 7th and 8th day). Also,
the demand of labour has
decreased from 10 to 7
In the second trial,
we can shift activity
8-9 by its total float
period of 2 days.
This will result in
smoothing the
labour
requirements.
• Example 5
Problem
 RESOURCES LEVELLING

In the resources levelling process, the activities are so rescheduled that the
maximum or peak resources requirement does not cross the limit of
available resources. The available resources should, however, not be less
than the maximum number or quantity required for any activity of the
project.

In rescheduling, the available floats are first used. If by doing so, the
resources demand is more than the available resources, the duration of
some of the activities may be increased so that the resources requirements
for these activities is decreased. Thus in the sources levelling process, the
project duration, initially planned, might be changed.
• Example 1
The net work of a project is shown below. The requirement of masons of
each activity is shown in bracket on the arrow and the duration below
the arrow. Level out the requirement of resources, if the maximum number of
masons on any day has to be limited to 7.

TE = 2
TL = 10
2

TE = 0 TE = 6
TL = 0 TL = 6
B (3) D (3) F (3)
1 3 5 6
t=6 t=4 t=5
TE = 10
TE = 15
TL = 10
TL = 15

4
TE = 10
TL = 10
Activity Activity Earliest Earliest Latest Latest Float Remark
duration start finish start finish (LFT –
time time LFT time time LFT EFT)
(EST) LST
TIE
(1 – 2) A 2 0 2 8 10 8
(1 – 3) B 6 0 6 0 6 0 Critical
(1 – 4) C 4 0 4 6 10 6
(3 – 5) D 4 6 10 6 10 0 Critical
(2 – 6) G 5 2 7 10 15 8
(4 – 6) E 4 4 8 10 15 7
(5 – 6) F 5 10 15 10 15 0 Critical

The critical path is 1-3-5-6. The duration of the project along critical path is 15
days.
Now prepare the bar chart for determining the cumulative requirement of
masons on each days.
 Table

Duration Days
Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
(1 – 2) A 4 4
(1 – 3) B 3 3 3 3 3 3
(1 – 4) C 4 4 4 4
(3 – 5) D 3 3 3 3
(2 – 6) G 4 4 4 4 4
(4 – 6) E 4 4 4 4
(5 – 6) F 3 3 3 3 3
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 7 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Activity C shifted by 2 days
Activity G shifted by 4 days
Activity E shifted by 7 days
 Table

Duration Days
Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
(1 – 2) A 4 4
(1 – 3) B 3 3 3 3 3 3
(1 – 4) C 4 4 4 4
(3 – 5) D 3 3 3 3
(2 – 6) G 4 4 4 4 4
(4 – 6) E 4 4 4 4
(5 – 6) F 3 3 3 3 3
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

:
• Example 2
Resource Limited Leveling
Limit of Two Painters
First Resource Allocation
Second Resource Allocation
Third Resource Allocation