AIC AIC Construction Scheduling & Time Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scheduling method uses a network diagram to identify the longest path through a project?
- Gantt Chart
- Critical Path Method (CPM) (Correct answer)
- Resource Leveling
- Line of Balance
Correct answer: Critical Path Method (CPM)
CPM identifies the critical path — the longest sequence of dependent tasks — to determine the minimum project duration.
Question 2: In CPM scheduling, 'float' (or slack) refers to:
- The total project contingency budget
- The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project finish date (Correct answer)
- The overlap between two concurrent tasks
- The buffer added to each activity duration estimate
Correct answer: The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project finish date
Float is the amount of time a non-critical activity can be delayed without delaying the overall project completion.
Question 3: A project has a Planned Value (PV) of $500,000 and an Earned Value (EV) of $450,000. What does this indicate?
- The project is ahead of schedule
- The project is behind schedule (Correct answer)
- The project is under budget
- The project is on schedule
Correct answer: The project is behind schedule
When EV is less than PV, the Schedule Variance is negative, indicating the project is behind schedule.
Question 4: Which scheduling technique is best suited for repetitive construction tasks such as highway paving?
- Critical Path Method
- PERT
- Line of Balance (Correct answer)
- Precedence Diagramming Method
Correct answer: Line of Balance
Line of Balance is designed for repetitive work, showing production rates and crew continuity across multiple identical units.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a look-ahead schedule in construction project management?
- To replace the master schedule
- To provide a detailed 3–6 week rolling plan for near-term work execution (Correct answer)
- To satisfy the owner's reporting requirements
- To calculate the final project cost at completion
Correct answer: To provide a detailed 3–6 week rolling plan for near-term work execution
Look-ahead schedules focus on the near-term work window, helping superintendents coordinate resources, materials, and subcontractors for upcoming tasks.
Question 6: In PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique), the expected duration of an activity is calculated as:
- (Optimistic + Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 3
- (Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 6 (Correct answer)
- (Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 2
- Pessimistic - Optimistic
Correct answer: (Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 6
PERT uses a weighted average formula — (O + 4M + P) / 6 — giving the most weight to the most likely estimate.
AIC AIC Construction Scheduling & Time Management 1
Which scheduling method uses a network diagram to identify the longest path through a project?