Bar (Gantt) Charts - Construction Project Scheduling and Control - page 21

Figure 2.7 Bar chart representing the summary activities for constructing a bridge
CHAPTER 2 EXERCISES
1. What is a bar chart ? What other term is synonymous with bar chart? How did the
other term originate?
2. What are the main advantages of bar charts that have made them so popular?
What are their main disadvantages?
In the following exercises, draw a bar chart that shows the time scale on the
x -axis. Use engineering paper or draw light vertical lines at certain intervals (e.g.,
every 5 days) to help you read the start and end dates of any activity. Make sim-
plifying assumptions whenever necessary. Be sure to mention these assumptions.
3. You are running out of space in your house, so you have decided to transform your
two-car garage into a family room. In addition, you will build a simple carport in
your driveway. Make a bar chart for this project, breaking your project into 10-15
work activities.
4. Think about obtaining a bachelor degree from a college as a project. You are
advising a friend, a senior in high school who plans to attend college next year.
Prepare a bar chart for him, depicting all of the courses that he must take from the
start of college until graduation. Obtain the program course list. Make sure you
do not overlook any prerequisite requirements. Make the following simplifying
assumptions:
a. Your friend is smart. He will not fail any course.
b. All courses are available during every fall and spring semester.
c. No summer semesters are included. Your friend will work during the summer.
d. Your friend's total load every semester should be no less than 15 credit hours
and no more than 18. You can let him take as many as 20 credit hours in one
semester only, but only during the last year.
e. Your friend must graduate in eight semesters.