Planning Repetitive Activities

Line off Balance

Sabah Alkass PhD PEng FASCE

Professor

Line of Balance Planning

Techniques
PROCEDURE FOR LOB SCHEDULING
When preparing a line of balance schedule the
following stages should be systematically
undertaken:
1. Preparation of logic diagram
2. Assessment of manhours per operation
3. Selection of buffer times
4 Assessment of the rate
4.
ate of const
construction
ction fo
for ttwo
o
related operations
5. Assessment of start and finish times for first and
Dr. S. Alkass
2
last unit

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

1. Preparation of logic diagram

The logic diagram illustrates the sequence of
undertaking the construction operations relative to
the finish and start of related activities.
C-COLUMN SEQUENCE
FABRICATE

A-FOUNDATION SEQUENCE
SITE
STRIP

FNDNS

REINFT

FIX
REINFT

FIX
FWK

CONCRETE
COLUMNS

EXT. BWK

FABRICATE fwk

1ST FIX JOINER

PILING

B-HOUSING SEQUENCE
FDNDS

SUPER
STRUCTURE

ROOF

1ST PLUMBER

PILE
CAPS

GROUND
BEAMS

ERECT
STEEL

EXTERNAL
BRICKWORK

ROOF
CLADDING

PLASTER

D-STEEL FRAMED FACTORY BUILDING

1ST FIX
ELECTRICIAN

Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

2. Assessment of manhours per operation

The manhour allocation is required
To calculate the operational duration once the gang size
has been established.
Assessment of the rate of construction based upon the
forecast completion or handover rate
Example:
l
Operation foundations
Gang size - 2 labourers
Manhours allocated per unit 64 manhours
Duration for one unit based on an 8 hour working

Duration =

day

manhours allocated
Gang size x 8 hours/day

= 64 hours / (2 x 8) = 4 gang days

Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

3. Selection of buffer times

Th
The b
buffer
ff ti
time iis th
the ti
time period
i d in
i days
d
between
b t
the
th
finish of one operation and the commencement of the
succeeding one in the construction sequence.
The buffer period allows flexibility to be built into the
planning
p
a
gp
process
ocess a
and
d iss intended
te ded to p
prevent
e e t ope
operations
at o s
overlapping.
It enables one trade to be clear of the work area
before the next trade commences.
The buffer period may be directly affected by
construction constraints such as allowances for curing
times or drying out periods.
Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

4. Assessment of the rate of construction for

two related operations
Example: Foundations project shown in logic diagram A
Rate of construction 2 house units per week.
Number of units to be constructed 10 Nos
Site Strip
32 hours / unit Operation 1
Foundations 120 hours / unit Operation 2
Ext Bwk
- 160 hours / unit Operation 3

Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning

Techniques
SITE STRIP OPERATION 1
Manhours required for 2 units = 2 x 32 hours = 64 manhours
Planned nos of men to achieve 2 units/week = 64 mh /(40 hours per week)
= 1.5 men
Optimum number of men in gang = 2 men
Number of gangs to be used
= 1 no.
Actual rate of construction =

Actual no. of men

X reqd rate of construction

Planned no. of men

Actual no. of men to be used on site strip

1 gang consisting of 2 men = 2 men
Planned no. of men to achieve forecast rate of construction of 2 units/week = 1.5 men
Actual construction rate
= (2.0/1.5) x 2.0 = 2.66
Rate of construction required = 2.0 houses/week
Utilizing the labour resources as shown the rate of construction on site strip will be faster than
the required rate
The duration of the site strip for each unit will be: (32 manhours / unit ) / (2 men x 8 hours)
= 32 / 16 = 2 days
Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

FOUNDATIONS OPERATION 2
Manhours required for 2 units = 2 x 120 hours = 240 manhours
Planned nos of men to achieve 2 units/week = 240 mh /(40 hours per week)
= 6.0
6 0 men
Optimum number of men in gang = 3 men
Number of gangs to be used
= 2 no.
Actual rate of construction =

Planned no. of men

Actual no. of men

X reqd rate of construction

Actual no. of men to be used on foundations = 2 gangs consisting of 3 men = 6 men

Planned no. of men to achieve forecast rate of construction of 2 units/week = 6 men
Actual construction rate
= (6.0/6.0) x 2.0 = 2.0
Rate of construction required = 2.0 houses/week
Utilizing the labour resources as shown the rate of construction on foundations will be at the
required rate
The duration of the foundations work for each unit will be: (120 manhours / unit ) / (3 men x 8
hours) =120
120 / 24 = 5 days
The rate of construction for the site strip (2.66 units/week) is faster than the rate of construction for
the foundations (2.0 units / week). The balance line for the site strip will therefore be at a greater
slope than that of the foundations.
Dr. S. Alkass

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

5. Assessment of start and finish times for first and
last unit

In order to develop the balance lines for each operation,

operation the start and finish time
of the first and last unit must be calculated. Assume that a minimum buffer
time of 2 days is to be allowed between the site strip and foundation works.
SITE STRIP - OPERATION 1
For the first house unit site strip operations
Commencement of first unit = Day 0
Completion of first unit
= Day 0 + Duration = 0+ 2 Days = Day 2
Start of last unit = (No. of unit 1) x duration
No. of gangs

(10 1) x 2
1

18
=

=18

Start of last unit = Day 18

Finish of last unit = Day 18 + Duration = Day 18 + 2 = Day 20.
Summary: Site strip
House unit 1 Starts Day 0, Finishes Day 2
House unit 10 Starts Day 18, Finishes Day 20.
Dr. S. Alkass

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Line of Balance Planning Techniques

FOUNDATIONS OPERATION 2
Commencement of first unit = Unit 1
C
Completion
l i off site
i strip
i to Unit
U i 1 = Day
D 2 + 2 day
d buffer
b ff =
Day 4 Completion of foundations to Unit 1 = Day 4 + 5
day duration = Day 9
Start of last unit =

(No. of units 1) x duration

no of gangs

= Day 4 + (10 1)5 /2 = (9x5)/2

= Day 4 + Day 22.5 = Day 26.5
Completion of last unit = Day 26.5 + 5 day duration = Day 31.5

Summary:
y Foundations
House unit 1 Starts Day 4, Finishes Day 9
House unit 10 Starts Day 26.5, Finishes Day 31.5
Dr. S. Alkass

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Line of Balance Planning Techniques

EXTERNAL BRICKWORK OPERATION 3
Manhours required for 2 units = 2 x 160 hours = 320
Planned no. of men to achieve 2 units/week = (320 mh) / (40 hours/week) = 8.0
Optimum gang size = 3.0 men
Number of gangs to be used = 3 nos
Actual rate of construction = (9.0 / 8.0) x 2 = 2.25 units/week
Rate of construction required = 2
2.00
00 units/week
Using 3 gangs of 3 men the rate of construction will be faster than the required
rate
Duration for 1 unit = 160 mhs / (3 men x 8 hours) = 160 / 24 mh = 6.7 days =
say 7 days
As the rate of construction for the external brickwork is faster than the foundation
operation, the balance line will be at a steeper gradient. The external
brickwork balance line must
therefore relate to the completion of the last house unit on foundations in order to
prevent operations overlapping.
Dr. S. Alkass

12

Line of Balance Planning Techniques

Commencement of last house unit unit 10.
Completion of foundations to Unit 10 = Day 31.5 + 2 day buffer
Commencement of external brickwork for Unit 10 = Day 33.5
Completion of external brickwork for Unit 10 = Day 33.5 + 7 day duration =
Day 40.5
Commencement of Unit 1 for ext. bwk
Commencement of ext. bwk to Unit 10 =

(No. of units 1) x duration

No of gangs

= Day 33.5 - (10-1) x 7

3
= Day 12.5
Commencement of external brickwork Unit 1- 12.5
Completion of brickwork Unit 1= Day 12.5 + 7 days duration
= Dayy 19.5
Summary: External brickwork
House Unit 1 Starts Day 12.5, Finishes Day 19.5
House Unit 10 Starts Day 33.5, Finishes Day 40.5
Dr. S. Alkass

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Line of Balance Planning Techniques

Dr. S. Alkass

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Line of Balance Planning Techniques

Dr. S. Alkass

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Line of Balance Planning Techniques

Techniques
Resource bar chart

Use of Ratios
Planned performance
Planned liability/planned earning

Actual performance
Actual liability/actual earning

Effi i
Efficiency
Actual performance/planned performance
Dr. S. Alkass

16

Planning repetitive work

Line of balance
Based on establishing a delivery or a
handover rate
The basic construction logic of the
repetitive unit is expressed in a form of a
network called a production diagram
Normally a constant rate of delivery is
used which is expressed in (no.of units/unit
time)
Dr. S. Alkass

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Determining the handover rate

Example- Road project
6

Handover
rate

10

20

30
40
Time (days)

Dr. S. Alkass

50

60

18

Determining the handover rate (cont.)

Example Road project

Waiting
time

Handover
rate

G2
G1
0

10

20

30
40
Time (days)

Dr. S. Alkass

50

60

19

Preparing a L.O.B schedule

In order to avoid non-productive time
(Waiting Time) in parallel scheduling,
resources are taken into account as part
of the scheduling procedure.

Dr. S. Alkass

20

Preparing scheduling
information

5
g

Example project

( in road project based on R=4)

op.

Q g

sub str
sub.str

120 12 3

12 4

sup. str

290 29 6

30 4.14 6.04 35.02=35

int.part. 250 25 4

24 3.84 7.81 37.76=38

plumb.
p

40

electr.

30

2.67 1.87 54.31=55

finish.

220 22 5

1.67 48.33=49

20 3.64 5.5

Dr. S. Alkass

36 25=37
36.25=37

39.84=40
22

op.
M
G Q g U
T
S
electr.
220
sub.str
120
43.64
36.25=37
plumb.
finish.
40
220
425
22
324
33.84
1.67
5.5
39.84=40
48.33=49
sup.
int.part.
str 30
250
290 312
29 235346 12
30 2.67
4.14 51.87
7.81
6.04 54.31=55
37.76=38
35.02=35
Time (days)

10

20

30

40

50 60 70

80 90 100