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"Security" Activities

6 replies [Last post]
Mon, 2009-10-05 20:48
Carlos Arana
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Joined: 6 Jun 2009
Posts: 178
Groups: Civil Engineering
My schedule has some activities with 1000+ total float, that’s the "matematic" problem. Physically, these activities are necesary as securtiy measures, by example: the construction of a drainage channel to prevent innundations at the building site in the rainy season. Not building the channel would not affect any other activity in the project, since the channel could even be useless if the rainy season is not very agressive during the building of the project. Or, it may be totally useful if the rainy season is over agressive. It is not easy to foretell if the channel will be necessary or not.
I had this conversation with the construction manager:

Me: What activities would be affected if the channel is not built?"
CM: None, but it is a security measure specified in the contract and should be built.
Me: How does it affect the construction if we don’t build it?
CM: It would not affect, it is a security measure.

Then: The channel has 1000+ total float and is an open end.

I don’t like open ends. I also don’t like that 1000+ float. And I don’t like constrained schedules, then: What’s the best thing I can do to these activities?
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Replies

Sun, 2009-10-11 20:41
#1
Carlos Arana
User offline. Last seen 5 years 33 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Jun 2009
Posts: 178
Groups: Civil Engineering
Thanks everyone, the channel is specified in the contractual schedule.
I will go with the "Start of rainy season" milestone solution, looks applicable to my particular case.

Regards.
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Tue, 2009-10-06 15:06
#2
Mike Testro
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Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 4418
Groups: Building Information Modelling, Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors
Hi Shahzad

This is interesting.

The trench is required to protect work during the rainy season.

Select all of the tasks that are vulneralbe to flood damage and put them in a Designated Hammock called Flood Relief Trench Maintanance.

This will give you the duration of the trench without any links or float.

You can put costs or resources on the hammock bar.

DO NOT try to adjust the tasks or calendars under the hammock as this will affect the overlying tasks.

Best regards

Mike Testro
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Tue, 2009-10-06 06:11
#3
Vladimir Liberzon
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Groups: Accreditation Editors, Board of Advisors, Civil Engineering, GPCCAR Editors, Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, Regional Representatives, Spider Project Team, TURNAROUND & SHUTDOWN (T/A & S/D)
Hi Shahzad,
if the channel is necessary as the risk mitigation tool through rainy season then it shall be built before rains start even if it was not mentioned in the contract.
If the contract requires earlier finish date then it can be simulated similar way or using Finish No Later Than constraint.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
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Tue, 2009-10-06 06:03
#4
Shahzad Sikandar
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Joined: 1 Feb 2006
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read your contract document, if that drain channel is under agreed scope of work, then the that scope of work should have a agreed completion date.

link the completion of that drain to the completion date or handover.

if any mention of rainy season is mentioned in contract with regards to that channel then vladimir point is justifiable.

but again its all depends upon your contract, how your contract is written.


please correct me if i am wrong .
thanks

Shahzad Sikandar
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Tue, 2009-10-06 01:16
#5
Vladimir Liberzon
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Hi Carlos.
you described the case where using constraints is justified.
I would suggest to create a milestopne "Start of Raining Season", set "Must Start On" constraint for this milestone, and link with this milestone all activities that shall be finished before the rains (the channel construction in particular).
Your channel is a good example of risk mitigation.

Best Regards,
Vladimir
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Mon, 2009-10-05 23:26
#6
Samer Zawaydeh
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Joined: 3 Aug 2008
Posts: 1664
Groups: Civil Engineering, Regional Representatives
Dear Carlos,

Your model must be correct. You can put a date like 3 months before the rain season as the end date of its contruction. The plan must be comprehensive to model what you want to complete.

Since the CM does not think it is important, that is why you have the excess float associated with it. Change the importance factor and put the earliest possible date. Of course, you do not want to pay any extra cost because of completing it as early as possible.

With kind regards,

Samer
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