Bar Graph Method in Engineering management
The main explanation of this report of the Bar Graph Method in terms of
schedule and constriction planning.
The time allowed for Bar graph Schedule performance is usually an
an important consideration for both the project owner and the project contractor.
I've explained the good side of the Bar Graph Method in terms of ( Clarity,
Communication, Motivation, Coordination, Creativity, Time Management
Flexibility, Manageability, Efficiency, Accountability ) and I've talked
about the downside.
I brought up an example that supports the Bar Graph Method which is used in
Kurdistan Region, name of example is (Quantity Estimation and Bar
Graph Schedule for the Project of 150 m Road- Erbil City).
1. Bar Graph Method
Student Name: Nzar Braim Omar
Class: 4th
stage
Course Title: Engineering Economy and Management
Department: Geomatics (Surveying)
College of Engineering
Salahaddin University-Erbil
Academic Year 2019-2020
2. 2
Abstract
The main explanation of this report of Bar Graph Method in terms of
schedule and constriction planning.
The time allowed for Bar graph Schedule performance is usually an
important consideration for both the project owner and the project contractor.
I'm explained the good side of Bar Graph Method in terms of ( Clarity,
Communication ,Motivation, Coordination, Creativity, Time Management
Flexibility , Manageability ,Efficiency, Accountability ) and I've talked
about the downside .
I brought up an example that supports Bar Graph Method which is used in
Kurdistan Region, name of example is (Quantity Estimation and Bar
Graph Schedule for the Project of 150 m Road- Erbil City).
3. 3
Table of Contents
Subject page
Abstract..........................................................................................................2
Table of Contents ..........................................................................................3
Introduction ...................................................................................................4
Methods.........................................................................................................6
Advantage of Bar Graph Method..................................................................9
Disadvantage of Bar Graph Method ...........................................................10
Prepared Bar Graph.....................................................................................11
Bar graph Schedule of 150 m road in Erbil.................................................12
Conclusion...................................................................................................14
References ...................................................................................................15
4. 4
Introduction
Bar Graph or Bar Chart Schedule is a graphical schedule relating the
progress of items of work to a schedule, the bar schedule traces it is origin to
a chart developed by Henry L.Grant.
Generally before establishing the contract of any project, the bar graph
schedule must be made for the project and each project consists of more than
one activity means several activities, actually there is no open time for any
project that means any project in the world will be establish on fixed time
therefore the project must be finish in desired time because time is very
important and one of the most important factors that effect on the budget of
the project, so bar graph schedule play a vital role as a guide chart for (project
manager, contractor, and engineers, …), and the bar graph schedule is used
to determine the duration of performance of each activity of the project and
also used to show the starting time and end time of each activities that means
the sequence of the project, because each activity must be finish in proposed
duration and any delay of each activities will effect on the execution of the
project in proposed time, so by delay in any activity the contractor or project
manager must be increase the number of teams, equipment, and hours of
working(morning and evening), and efforts but in logical way…, because
generally any delay in duration of construction of the project will cause that
the contractor should pay money due to the delay in the proposed time of the
project, and in the procedure of making bar graph schedule, we have quantity
estimation of materials(i.e. earthwork, concrete, subbase, subgrade, and
asphalt), therefore we must calculate the quantity of materials in accurate
ways to make a precise bar graph schedule.
Cumulative Project Progress show in figure (2), a cumulative progress-
versus time curve for the bar graph.
5. 5
The vertical scale represents cumulative project progress in percent and the
horizontal scale indicates time. Once the bar graph schedule has been
prepared and weighting factors calculated for each activity, scheduled
cumulative progress can be calculated and plotted.
6. 6
Methods
A bar graph or bar chart schedule is a graphical schedule relating the
progress of items of work to a schedule. The bar schedule traces its origin
to a chart developed by Henry L.Grant. A simple bar graph schedule for a
construction project is shown in figure (1).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
Total 5100
Excavation
Cut and fill
2000 39.37
Establish site 1000 19.61
Enbankment 1500 29.93
Concrete cut-
off
500 9.12
Grout cut-off 100 1.95
HoursActivity
Weight
%
Weeks
50 100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
906030
654015
50
50
8040
6535
9085603520
755025
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
0
100
The major work items, or activities, making up the project are listed on the
left side of the schedule with a time scale across the top. The column headed
"Hours" indicates the estimated number of labor-hours required for each
activity. The column headed "Weight" indicates the portion of the total
project effort accounted for by each activity. For example "Clearing and
stripping" requires 1000 labor-hours of work, which represents 19.63 % of
Figure 1: Bar Graph Schedule for construction Project.
Construction Progress Chart
Project Rode 120 m
Date 7/4/2014
7. 7
the 5100 labor-hours required for the entire project. While a weighting
column is not always present on a bar chart, its presence is very useful when
calculating cumulative project progress. Activities may be weighted on any
desired basis.
Notice that two horizontal blocks are provided opposite each activity. The
upper block (SCH) represents scheduled progress and the lower block
(ACT) is used to record actual progress as worked proceeds. For each block,
a bar extends from starting to ending times division. Again such a system
considerably simplifies the calculation of scheduled cumulative progress
and its comparison with actual progress. To aid in the evaluation of progress,
it is suggested that the actual progress of each activity be inserted at the end
of each major period.
To find weight using the question as follow:
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘 (%) =
ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘
∑ ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟
× 100 (1)
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘 (%) =
1000
5100
× 100 = 19.61%
𝐶𝑢𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 = ∑(𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠) 𝑖 x
𝑛
𝑖=1
(𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡)𝑖 (2)
For example: for activating the Second week of Schedule as follow:
Activity 2 week = (1x19.61) + (0.25x 39.37) = 29.45%
This mean activity second of week 29.45% complete.
8. 8
We have calculate all activity for the end of weeks for schedule (Planned)
and Actual in Table (1) as follow:
All Activity
End of Weeks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Schedule /
Planned
9.805 29.453 39.295 52.33 70.373 82.022 85.505 99.98
Actual 0 19.61 27.484 33.39 46.88 70.33 88.18 96.483
In the Figure (2), illumination of the bar graph schedule and vertical scale for
actual and planning, as follow:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
SCH
ACT
Total 5100
Schedule / Planned
HoursActivity
Weight
%
Weeks
Establish site 1000 19.61
Enbankment 1500 29.93
Concrete cut-
off
500 9.12
Grout cut-off 100 1.95
Actual
Excavation
Cut and fill
2000 39.37
50 100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
906030
654015
50
50
8040
6535
9085603520
755025
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
0
100
CumulativeProgress
Figure 2: Bar Graph with Cumulative progress curve
curve.Project. XXC
Table 1: Calculate all activity per weeks.
Construction Progress Chart
Project Rode 120 m
Date 7/4/2014
9. 9
Advantage of Bar Graph Method
1- Gantt chart has the ability to show and clarify multiple tasks and
timelines [1].
2- It is a visual method to help project team members understand task
progress.
3- Project managers use these charts to break down projects into
manageable sets of tasks.
4- The use of Gantt charts often encourages new partnerships that might
not have evolved under traditional task assignment systems.
5- Time scheduling is considered as one of the major benefits of Gantt
charts.
6- It offers a view of project which can help team members adjust
changes.
7- Project managers can make more focused, effective decisions about
resources and timetables.
8- Visualizing resource usage during projects allows managers to make
better use of people, places, and things.
9- Using Gantt charts during critical projects allows both project
managers and participants to track team progress.
10. 10
Disadvantage of Bar Graph Method
1- They can become very complex.
2- The length of the bar does not indicate the amount of work.
3- They all the time need to be updated.
4- Difficult to see on one sheet of paper.
5- The Critical path (C.P) cannot be clearly indicated.
11. 11
Prepared Bar Graph
The anticipated start and completion date of each major activity is depicted
as a horizontal bar. The length of bar represents the duration of the activity
[2]. Figure (4) shows a simple bar graph. The amount of information shown
on each bar is very limited. The level of labor intensity during each activity,
which may vary considerably. An interrupted bar is used to show intermittent
activity.
The first step in preparing a bar chart is to develop a list of activities that
will be shown on the schedule. This list can be as extensive and detailed as
required, but usually is less than 25 items, representing a major group of
activities such as foundation, pier, cup, Girder, and so on. Next, the
durations of activities are estimated. On the horizontal axis select an
appropriate time scale which can be in days, Weeks, Months, or calendar
dates. Also shows vertical arrows which are intended to show logic
sequence ties. Some computer software packages are capable of showing
these logic ties. Float can also be shown by a narrow horizontal bar. A
dotted line, or a different color. Many other refinements can be made, but
the inclusion of too many features will nullify the simplicity of the bar chart.
12. 12
Bar graph Schedule of 150 m road in Erbil
We have some student in Salahaddin University College of Engineering
Department Geomatics (Surveying) create research about (Quantity
Estimation and Bar Graph Schedule for the Project of 150 m Road-
Erbil City) [3], the aims of research is created bar graph schedule of the
project because the project was very big to take a specific part of zone work
will start from the station (6+000) to (13+000), so the length of the zone is
seven Kilometer, and the estimated for completed project work was 443 days
of work, and using software MS project to create a bar graph, The bar graph
schedule had been divided into 4 part in 7 km But it took just one part from
it which was the intersection between Erbil-Shaqlawa road that is 1 km long
Because it was concrete construction and the bar graph schedule would take
365 days, and we have 23 actives using this bar graph schedule, So now this
example support and available in Kurdistan region, shown in figure (4).
14. 14
Conclusion
The results show us that bar graph methods have many benefits for
explaining well in terms of time and work to organize our activities.
By Setting a good schedule according to the activities we want to do in terms
of building construction, by comparison in difference between planning
schedule and actual schedule hat is main basis of bar graph method.
15. 15
References
[1]. Book: Construction Project Management & Engineering
Economics, Dr. Adnan Fadhil, Assist. Lect. Mustafa Ayad,
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Vy25qYPT6LYJ:https://uomu
stansiriyah.edu.iq/media/lectures/5/5_2017_11_27!07_30_29_PM.pdf+&cd=1&hl=ckb
&ct=clnk&gl=iq
[2].Book: Project Management, Authors: Zwikael, Ofer, Smyrk, John R,
chapter 10, page 239-241.
https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030031732#aboutBook
[3]. Research "Quantity Estimation and Bar Graph Schedule for the
Project of 150 m Road- Erbil City" (2019-2020), Create for (Nzar Braim,
Marwan Rashed, Muhammad Sarbaz, and Esra Mustafa) and supervisor by
(Dr. Kamaran Kakil Gardy), Email: nzarbraym@gmail.com .