Budapest University of Technology and EconomicsFaculty of Civil Engineering - Since 1782

Techniques used and developed since the end of the 19th century through to the 1960s are called traditional project planning techniques. The Linear Scheduling Method, Gantt Chart, and Line of Balance Method are the most commonly used traditional techniques. The common characteristics of these techniques are that they provide different graphical interpretations of the temporal and spatial arrangements of activities; however, quick and effective modifications are impossible since logical interdependencies are not set in these models. The alternative, modern planning techniques (also called network techniques) have the ability to store the logic in the model; therefore, they can be applied to computers where reruns and modifications can happen within seconds or minutes depending on the size and purpose of the model. The most used network techniques are CPM, PERT, GERT and PDM. These techniques are capable of storing the logic of the project, perform various calculations for different purposes such as minimal project duration, minimal project duration satisfying certain resource constraints, cost minimisation, probability calculations for completing the project and the activities to a given deadline.  Despite the advantages of keeping the logic within the model, there are many criticisms of modern techniques blaming their poor modelling capabilities in describing the logic and activities of the project.

For this reason, traditional planning methods are still in use, especially in linear projects such as highways, railways, bridges, and pipelines. In these projects, LSM is the most widespread technique due to its flexibility with varying types of activities (stretchable, splittable, non-linear, piece-wise linear) and different logic such as different spatial distances between activities. This research aims to combine the best features of traditional planning techniques with network-based techniques, thus providing effective planning tools for the planners of large-scale linear engineering projects.

 

The proposed work phases are classified as follows: 

    1) Literature review. 

    2) Study of traditional techniques

    3) Study of modern techniques

    4) Identify the ‘modelling’ capabilities of traditional and modern techniques

    5) Mathematical models for the elements of traditional network techniques 

    6) Develop a merged model inheriting the necessary features of tradition and network techniques

    7) Develop computer codes for the new model

    8) Validate the results in actual linear projects

    9) Conclusions and recommendations for future work.