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Construction Scheduling and Planning Flashcards

7 cards from real BCM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) differs from CPM primarily because PERT:

    Answer: Uses three time estimates to account for schedule uncertainty

    PERT uses optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic durations to calculate a weighted average activity duration, accounting for uncertainty in scheduling.

  2. In PERT analysis, the expected duration (te) of an activity is calculated using the formula:

    Answer: te = (O + 4M + P) / 6

    The PERT formula te = (O + 4M + P) / 6 weights the most likely estimate four times more than the optimistic or pessimistic estimates.

  3. Which scheduling technique is best suited for highly repetitive construction operations such as high-rise building construction?

    Answer: Line of Balance (LOB)

    Line of Balance (LOB), also called Linear Scheduling Method, is ideal for repetitive work because it shows the rate of production and crew continuity on a time-location diagram.

  4. Schedule compression through 'Crashing' involves:

    Answer: Adding resources to critical path activities to shorten their duration at additional cost

    Crashing shortens the project schedule by adding resources (overtime, additional crews) to critical path activities, which increases direct costs.

  5. Fast-tracking as a schedule compression technique involves:

    Answer: Overlapping phases or activities that were originally planned in sequence

    Fast-tracking overlaps activities (e.g., starting construction before design is complete) to compress the schedule, which increases risk of rework.

  6. A contractor is updating a construction schedule and notices the project has a negative float. This means the project is:

    Answer: Behind schedule and the planned completion date cannot be met

    Negative float indicates the project is behind schedule — the calculated completion date exceeds the required completion date, requiring schedule recovery action.

  7. What is a 'Look-Ahead Schedule' commonly used for in construction project management?

    Answer: A 3-to-6-week short-term schedule used to coordinate upcoming work and identify constraints

    Look-ahead schedules (typically 3–6 weeks) help foremen and superintendents identify near-term work constraints such as material deliveries, submittals, and crew availability.