AACE International PSP - Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) Exam

A fundamental limitation of Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling is its assumption of unlimited resources, meaning it does not account for resource constraints when calculating schedules.

Option A (backward pass) is a standard part of the CPM process.

Option C is incorrect as CPM considers activity dependencies.

Option D refers to flexibility in diagramming methods, not a drawback.

The PSP Study Guide highlights resource constraints as a significant challenge in CPM application​​.

Column Pour Requirements:

Each column pour requires 60 lifts per day.

Crane Capacity:

Each crane can perform 35 lifts per day.

Determine Minimum Cranes Required:

Minimum Cranes = Column Lifts ÷ Crane Capacity = 60 ÷ 35 ≈ 1.71 cranes.

Since partial cranes cannot be used, round up to 3 cranes.

Cross-Verification:

Option A (2 cranes): Incorrect. Insufficient lifts per day.

Option B (1 crane): Incorrect. Infeasible.

Option C (4 cranes): Incorrect. Exceeds requirement.

Option D (3 cranes): Correct. Satisfies lift requirements efficiently.

To calculate the completion day for Activity C:

Reduce Activity A's duration by five days.

Recalculate dependent activities' start and finish times using forward pass logic (PSP Study Guide, Subchapter 2.2.4, "Relationships").

Sum up the adjusted durations to determine the completion day for Activity C.

This aligns with the logic of schedule adjustments and dependencies as outlined in the PSP Study Guide.

To constrain a project's end date, a Finish-No-Later constraint is applied to the last activity. This ensures any slippage results in negative float, signaling delays relative to the fixed deadline.

Option A and B apply to earlier constraints, which are not relevant for controlling the project's end date.

Option D applies a constraint to the first activity, not the project finish.

This concept aligns with controlling project deadlines as described in the PSP Study Guide​.

The sum of all budgets for work scheduled to be accomplished within a specific time period is referred to as the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS). It represents the planned value of work to be performed during the reporting period.

Option A (Estimate at Completion - EAC) refers to the projected final cost of the project.

Option B (Budget at Completion - BAC) is the total project budget.

Option C (Budgeted Cost of Work Performed - BCWP) refers to the earned value.

This definition aligns with earned value management concepts covered in the PSP Study Guide​.

Negative total float occurs when an activity’s scheduled completion date extends beyond the project deadline due to constraints. This condition indicates that the activity is still pending and needs immediate attention to avoid further delays.

Option A (milestone) is unrelated.

Option B (critical path) is not necessarily true, as activities with negative float can exist off the critical path under certain constraints.

Option C (completed in the past) is incorrect as negative float applies only to future or ongoing activities​​.

Analyze Activity 2001 in the "Normal" Schedule:

Activity 2001 ("River Diversion Stage 1") has a duration of 92 days under the "Normal" schedule.

The logic column shows it has a Successor ID of 2002, and a Finish-to-Start (FS) relationship with no lag. This indicates that Activity 2002 will begin immediately after Activity 2001 finishes.

Identify Concurrent Activities Using the Schedule Logic:To determine concurrency, we need to look for activities that overlap in time with Activity 2001 during its duration. Concurrent activities must either:

Start before Activity 2001 finishes, or

Finish after Activity 2001 starts.

Review Activities in the Normal Schedule:

Activity 1001 ("Preliminary Civil Work"):

Has a duration of 85 days, starts before Activity 2001, and overlaps with it.

Logic: Its successor is Activity 2001 (Start-to-Start [SS] relationship), confirming the overlap.

Activity 1000 ("General Conditions"):

Duration is 1072 days. However, this is an overarching activity, and its inclusion is not specific to being concurrent with Activity 2001.

Activity 7001 ("Permanent Roads"):

Starts much later, after Activity 2001 ends, and thus is not concurrent.

Activity 2003 ("River Diversion Dam"):

Starts after Activity 2001 completes (FS relationship), so it is not concurrent.

Conclusion:The only activity that overlaps and runs concurrently with Activity 2001 in the "Normal" schedule is Activity 1001.

Given Data

Start Date: April 1, 2002.

Duration of Activity 7001 (Normal Schedule): 48 days.

Workweek: 5-day workweek (Monday to Friday).

No holidays are mentioned in the problem.

Step 1: Calculate Total Working Days

Using a 5-day workweek:

Determine the number of full weeks in 48 days:48÷5=9 weeks with 3 additional workdays.48 \div 5 = 9 \, \text{weeks with 3 additional workdays.}48÷5=9weeks with 3 additional workdays.

Total work period = 9 weeks + 3 workdays = 45 weekdays.

Step 2: Calculate Calendar End Date

Starting from April 1, 2002 (Monday):

Add 9 full weeks: April 1 + 9 weeks = May 31, 2002 (Friday).

Add the remaining 3 workdays:

Monday, June 3.

Tuesday, June 4.

Wednesday, June 5, 2002.

Step 3: Validate Answer

The finish date for Activity 7001 is June 5, 2002.