AACE-INTERNATIONAL-PSP Practice Questions

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Minimum Project Duration Calculation:

The critical path determines the minimum project duration.

Path: A → B → G → H → 16 months.

Cross-Verification with Network Diagram:

Other paths have shorter durations or do not impact the overall project finish date.

Verification with PSP Guidelines:

Critical path analysis is central to determining project duration (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A:

Critical Path Method).

 Crashed Schedule Predecessors to Activity 2004:

Activity 2004 (River Diversion to Pipeline) depends on completion of:

1001 (Preliminary Civil Work).

2001 (River Diversion Stage 1).

2002 (River Diversion Stage 2).

2003 (River Diversion Dam).

 Exclusion of Other Activities:

Activity 2007 is not part of the crashed schedule's direct predecessor chain.

Other options include duplicated or incorrect entries.

 PSP Study Guide Reference:

Logical sequence analysis confirms these predecessors (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Activity

Sequencing and Critical Path Analysis).

 Calculation of Productivity Loss:

Subtracting productivity during an impacted period from unimpacted productivity quantifies the

reduction in efficiency or loss in productivity.

 PSP Study Guide Reference:

Productivity analysis includes evaluating impacted vs. unimpacted periods to assess losses.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is C, as the difference represents productivity loss.

 Relationship Analysis:

Activity 4001 starts 15 days after Activity 3001 begins, based on their logical dependency (SS +15).

This indicates partial concurrency, as both activities overlap in execution.

 Evaluation of Other Options:

A: Incorrect, as the statement refers to Activity 5001, not 3001.

C: Incorrect, as Activity 4001 does not start before Activity 3001.

 Verification with PSP Guidelines:

PSP guidelines stress precise interpretation of activity relationships (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter

2A: Logical Relationships and Lags).

 Understanding the Cycle Time:

A cycle time includes all the operations needed for one complete lift:

Sling Up: 5 minutes

Hoist Up: 4 minutes

Discharge: 3 minutes

Clear Unload Area: 3 minutes

Hoist Down: 2 minutes

 Calculate Total Cycle Time:

Cycle Time = 5 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 17 minutes.

 Cross-Verification:

Option A (5 minutes): Incorrect. Excludes operations.

Option C (14 minutes): Incorrect. Underestimates.

Option D (6 minutes): Incorrect. Miscalculation.

Option B (17 minutes): Correct.

:

The number of workdays between two milestones, such as Product Testing and Product Available, is

calculated by considering the activity durations, dependencies, and any calendar constraints (PSP

Study Guide, Subchapter 2.2.3, "Durations"). If the activities are continuous and there are no

interruptions such as holidays, the total duration would sum to 100 days based on the provided

schedule.

 Critical Path and Delays:

A delay must impact the critical path to qualify for a time extension or compensable delay, as the

critical path determines the project's overall completion time.

If the critical path is not affected, the delay is considered to have "float," which means it does not

affect the project's completion date and, therefore, may not be compensable.

 PSP Study Guide Reference:

Delays impacting the critical path are emphasized in the PSP Study Guide under schedule analysis

and delay management sections. The claimant must demonstrate that the delay impacts key project

milestones and overall project completion.

 Analysis for Selection:

Option A: Correct. A delay that does not affect the critical path does not result in additional time or

compensation.

Option B: Concurrent delays involve shared responsibility and may complicate claims for

compensation but are not a strict requirement for delay consideration.

Option C: Monetary harm is not directly relevant to time extension entitlement.

Option D: While planned schedules are significant, the focus is on the project's critical path, not just

the contractor's planned sequence.

 Conclusion: The correct answer is A because affecting the critical path is the key determinant for

entitlement to a time extension or compensable delay.

Driving Activity Concept:

The driving activity in a backward pass is the one that determines the late start or finish of the

dependent activity.

Activity 10001 (Valve House - Complete) is directly dependent on its successor, Activity 11001

(Spillway - Concrete).

Backward Pass Logic:

In backward pass calculations, the late start of Activity 11001 establishes the late finish of Activity

10001 due to their finish-to-start (FS) relationship.

This makes Activity 11001 the driving activity.

Verification:

According to the PSP Study Guide, driving activities are identified based on their logical ties and the

critical path's constraints (Ref: PSP Study Guide, Chapter 2A: Activity Relationships and Critical Path

Analysis).

Thus, the driving activity for Activity 10001 is A. Activity 11001.