Schedule Compression and Time-Cost Trade-Off - Construction Project Scheduling and Control - page 230

Figure 8.10 Effect of project acceleration on total cost: a special case, in which total cost
keeps decreasing until the project is completely crashed—NC, normal cost; LC, least cost;
LCD, least-cost duration; ND, normal duration. Crash duration, CD, coincides here with least
cost duration, LCD
1. If the acceleration is decided early enough, perhaps in the conceptual phase,
the owner should consider this when choosing the contract type and delivery
method. Adding incentives to the contract and fast-tracking the project may
also be considered.
2. The effect of acceleration on cash flow for both the owner and the contractor
should be considered. Since the overall project cost will likely increase but its
duration will decrease, it is expected that monthly expenses and payments will
be much higher.
3. The schedule may need to be updated more frequently. Also, the importance
of information accuracy is more stressed, as the impact of errors may be more
severe than in a normal situation. Missing one day for severe weather or other
reason means missing a large amount of work.
4. When increasing the number of work crews (workers and/or equipment), the
contractor must consider the following issues:
a. Space and logistics for safe and efficient operations, including materials and
equipment storage.
b. Shift turnover, as there is usually a loss of time and productivity when one
shift picks up after another shift.
c. Fatigue, long-term exhaustion, and stress on staff and laborers may lead
to lower productivity and morale, and perhaps an increase in accidents and
absenteeism.