COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

ANSWERS

PUTRAJAYA CAMPUS
Test No. 1
2nd Semester, Year 2015 / 2016

PROGRAMME

: Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)

SUBJECT CODE

: CEPB 323

SUBJECT

: Project Management and Construction

DATE

: 18th December 2015

TIME

: 10.00 10.45 a.m. (45 min.)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
1. This paper contains THREE (3) questions in TWO (2) pages.
2. Answer ALL questions in the answer sheets that are provided.
3. Total marks = 45 marks

THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF THREE (3) PRINTED PAGES

INCLUDING THIS COVER PAGE.

CEPB 323, Semester 2, 2015/16

Question 1 (15 marks)

a) The CPM precedence (AON) diagram is shown in Figure 1. Note that the diagram
was created / drawn based on the horizontal event numbering system.
2 B 14
2 12 14

0
0

A
2

2
2

6 D 14
2 8 10

[8 marks]

24 C 30
14 6 20

14 E 24
14 10 24

2 F 14
2 12 14

30
30

H 32
2 32

24 G 30
24 6 30

Figure 1 CPM precedence (AON) diagram for Question 1 a)

b) Project duration is 32 months.

[1 mark]

c) The critical paths: 1) A - B - E - G - H & 2) A - F - E - G - H.

[1 mark]

d) The critical paths are shown by bold arrows in Figure 1.

[2 marks]

e) The free float for activity C with respect to activity H = 30 20 = 10 months.

[1 mark]
f) The earliest time that activity C can start is at the beginning of the 15th month.
[1 mark]
g) The latest time that activity D must finish at the end of the 14th month.

[1 mark]

Question 2 (15 marks)

a) The CPM arrow (AOA) diagram is shown in Figure 2. Note that the diagram was
created / drawn based on the vertical event numbering system.
b) The critical path is shown by bold arrows in Figure 2.

[10 marks]
[2 marks]

c) The earliest duration that the project can be completed is 18 months.

[1 mark]

d) The total float for activity B = 4 2 = 2 months.

[1 mark]

e) The latest time that activity D must start to avoid any delay in the project is at the
beginning of the 9th month.

[1 mark]
Page 2 of 4

CEPB 323, Semester 2, 2015/16

4
2

B
4

8
6
8 D 10
6 2 8

0
0

A
2

2
2

10
10

2 C
2 6

8
8

8
8

F 16
6 16

16 G 18
16 2 18

E 10
2 10

Figure 2 CPM arrow (AOA) diagram for Question 2 a)

Question 3 (15 marks)

a) Choose any one phase in a typical life cycle of a construction project from the following
phases: 1) project conception, 2) feasibility study, 3) design, 4) construction, 5) operation
& maintenance, or 6) termination.
Project conception
The project conception phase begins with the owner having some basic ideas of the
project due to some kind of requirements such as a facility to start a business or need /
desire such as a house. Subsequently the owner and end-user requirements are
determined in project definition based on the intended use of the completed project for
example needs, objectives and goals. It is crucial to have a clear project definition
because the ability to influence project quality, cost and schedule would be more difficult
as the project progressed from the first to the last phase of the project life cycle.
OR
b) Choose any one from the following: 1) Finish-to-start (F-S), 2) Start-to-start (S-S), 3)
Finish-to-finish (F-F) or 4) Start-to-finish (S-F).
Finish-to-start (F-S)
Successor / predecessor relationship defines inter-dependencies of activities in a project
as illustrated in Figure 3). For F-S relationship the predecessor is first finished and then
only the successor can start.
Predecessor

Successor

Activity A

Activity B

Figure 3: An example of Finish-to-Start successor / predecessor relationship (F-S)

between activity A and B
Therefore a predecessor can influence and affect the successor. With reference to Figure
3, a successor is dependent on a predecessor. The successor can only start after the
predecessor is finished.
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CEPB 323, Semester 2, 2015/16

If the predecessor (activity A) were delayed and completed behind schedule therefore the
successor (activity B) will have to start behind schedule.
Lag and lead can be introduced in the successor / predecessor relationship. For F-S
relationship, lag is the duration that a successor is purposely delayed from the finish of its
predecessor. Lead is the opposite of lag which is the duration that a successor purposely
precedes the finish of its predecessor.

End of questions

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