Planning Monitoring Frequencies for CPM Projects

A construction project, planned and scheduled with the aid of the Critical Path Method, needs to be controlled so that corrective measures may be implemented in order to curb excessive costs. A near-optimal frequency of monitoring a project in order to establish control is based on minimizing certain costs, namely: (1) Penalties which may be incurred for not finishing a project on time; (2) costs of taking corrective measures in order to bring a project back on schedule; and (3) expense incurred from monitoring. Cost comparisons of three different approaches for establishing monitoring intervals are presented based on model sample of three building projects and three road projects. A monitoring plan specially adapted to a particular project appears to provide lower cost control than a periodic frequency or a decreasing period plan for building projects whereas certain periodic and decreasing period approaches appear to be quite satisfactory in addition to a specially tailored plan for road projects.