Other Scheduling Methods - Construction Project Scheduling and Control - page 310

Figure 11.11 (a) Deterministic and (b) probabilistic branching
Figure 11.12 Three possible outcomes following activity A
GERT has not gained popularity in the construction industry. In fact, it has not
gained any interest beyond stimulating some academic research 5 .
LINEAR SCHEDULING METHOD (LSM) 6
Construction projects differ in their type, size, and nature. Scheduling methods also
differ in their efficacy, depending on the type of project they are serving. Bar charts are
generally good for small, simple projects. 7 CPM networks are used for medium-size
5 Scheduling of Industrialized Construction Project using Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique
(GERT), by Tanmay Ramani and Ramesh Kannan. Proceedings of Second International Conference on
Advances in Industrial Engineering Applications(ICAIEA2014), Anna University, January 6-8, 2014.
6 There are very similar, almost identical, methods to LSM, such as line of balance (LOB) method and vertical
production method (VPM). Also, LSM method is known in some parts of Europe as time couplings method
(TCM).
7 Practically speaking, bar (Gantt) charts are obsolete as a scheduling method. However, they are alive and
popular as a reporting method for projects that are scheduled using CPM networks and calculations. In this
case, bar charts are effectively used in large projects, focusing on a small group of activities or presenting the
schedule in the form of summary activities. Refer to the discussion in Chapters 2, 3, and 9.