LECTURE NO.8: Construction Activities: Parallel And Sequential

Construction activities

— are not independent.

An activity may depend on:

• completion of another activity;

• availability of a work area;

• availability of materials;

• availability of labor;

• availability of equipment;

• inspection or approval.

An activity may depend on:

• completion of another activity;

• availability of a work area;

• availability of materials;

• availability of labor;

• availability of equipment;

• inspection or approval.

Activity sequencing

— is a logical representation of how construction work can or must occur.

Predecessor

An activity that occurs before another activity.

Successor

An activity that follows another activity.

Sequential activities

— occur one after another because the successor depends on the predecessor.

Parallel activities

— can reduce total project duration.

Parallel activities

— can occur at the same time, provided that their required conditions are satisfied.

Parallel activities

may proceed simultaneously if sufficient:

• workers;

• materials;

• equipment; and

• work areas

are available.

Physical Completion

Resource Availability

Material Availability

Approval / Inspection

Work Area Availability

An activity may depend on:

Physical Completion

Example: Walls must be constructed before painting.

Resource Availability

Example: Concrete placement requires an available concrete pump.

Material Availability

Example: Window installation requires delivery of the window units.

Approval / Inspection

Example: Concrete placement may require required inspection or approval before proceeding, depending on project procedures.

Work Area Availability

Example: Floor finishing requires the area to be sufficiently ready and accessible.