Project Management Techniques and Planning for Retaining Wall Construction

Techniques used in project management

Explain the major techniques used in project management 

Produce programmes using project management control techniques manually and apply the techniques using project management computer software. 

Generate a master programme for a simple construction or design project. 

If you score less than 40% in this assignment you will need to resit at the next assessment point. 
For the re-assessment of 2023EXQ coursework, you should improve your initial attempt to a satisfactory level using the feedback provided (on Handin link on Aula). Your resit attempt should address all feedback comments which may include; providing a broader definition, incorporating additional research, citing additional literature sources, logical sequence of activities, correcting wrong calculations and improving the format and/or structure of your work. 

As part of the works currently taking place on the M1 motorway in Northampton, Skanska (Contractors) are required to construct a retaining wall next to a field. Details of the proposed retaining wall are given at the end of this project brief in the Appendix. This includes a cross section and construction details.
As a new project engineer with Skanska, your manager has asked you to produce a detailed programme for the retaining wall construction between chainage 100 m and chainage 200 m. The wall is longer than this, but you are only required to programme 100 metres. The highway is NOT part of the programme.
Contract Arrangements
The contract for the project will not be signed with the client until 25th October 2022 (the NEC3 Contract date). The site however, will become available to start work a week after on 4th November 2022 (the NEC3 Access date). As this is an important part of the construction project, the retaining wall needs to be completed by 21st March 2023. This completion date is very important to the contract, the retaining wall must be delivered on or before this date so that following work can be programme.
Please note the following
The first site activity is the installation of the site boundary safety fence around the area of the proposed works to secure the site. Next would be to create a site compound, the site compound should include all offices, welfare facilities (in compliance with CDM), services, storage and utilities that would be needed for the contract.
The following should be taken into consideration for programming
Time constraints:
i.Assume a 5-day working week. 
ii.Work must begin on a Monday
iii.The site boundary fencing around the area of the proposed works takes not less than one week. 
iv.The entire site compound set up takes not less than two weeks. 
v.Removing the site compound and fencing takes one week.

Steps for producing programmes using project management control techniques

Construction constraints:
i.The retaining wall concrete should be poured in not more than 5 metres spans at once.
ii.The base must be poured separate from the stem.
iii.The retaining wall concrete must have a joint between each 5 m section for the base.
iv.The retaining wall’s base is below the existing ground level so there must be excavation and backfill as part of the construction process.

Part 1

Based upon your knowledge of Project Management and time management processes, perform the following tasks:
a)In not more than 300 words (total) explain the following Project Management techniques; 
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Precedence Diagram Method
Critical Path
Fast tracking
Crashing
Float/slack
b)Draw a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the construction element of the project including setting up and clearance of site. The WBS must clearly show phases, deliverables, work packages and activities. The WBS should contain a sufficient number of activities to show the client that you understand the construction process and to aid in later programme control. You should include task IDs and a key/legend in the WBS.

c)Using the WBS, produced in ‘b’ above, produce a project schedule also known as project programme using MS Excel as taught in tutorials. Include the Gantt chart, dependencies, critical path, show float and allocate reasonable estimates for durations and labour resources for the identified activities. Show days in day numbers, include a column for date beside the duration column. Allow a period of 10 days “terminal float” to cover possible project risks that may arise as the project develops.

d)Manually produce a precedence diagram for the construction phase of the project based upon your WBS and project schedule from tasks ‘b’ and ‘c’ above. Your diagram must be in standard notation and show your proposed critical path.

Part 2
Using the output from Part 1, perform the following tasks using Microsoft Office ProjectTM with the following instructions:
Your Manager has informed you that the Client has contacted him to confirm that planning consent has been delayed due to local resident’s objections and the proposed “Access date” must change to 24th November 2022. Include the revised access date in the programme milestones. 
Your Manager has also reminded you to include the company-wide holiday period from 20th December 2022 to 31st January 2023. 

a)Produce a project schedule/programme (as shown in the tutorials) for the project. Show the activity durations, milestones (contract, access, and completion dates), float, summary tasks, predecessors, resources and dates for each task. The critical path and any terminal float should also be shown. The programme should clearly show all the required information and include the resource usage view from Microsoft Office ProjectTM.

b)Produce a network diagram for the project, showing all the required information that would normally be seen in the standard notation of a precedence diagram. Show the critical path.