PMT 10103

Engineering Encyclopedia
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards
CPM DIAGRAMMING METHODS
Note: The source of the technical material in this volume is the Professional
Engineering Development Program (PEDP) of Engineering Services.
Warning: The material contained in this document was developed for Saudi
Aramco and is intended for the exclusive use of Saudi Aramco’s employees.
Any material contained in this document which is not already in the public
domain may not be copied, reproduced, sold, given, or disclosed to third
parties, or otherwise used in whole, or in part, without the written permission
of the Vice President, Engineering Services, Saudi Aramco.
Chapter : Project Management For additional information on this subject, contact

File Reference: PMT10103 B. Walters
Engineering Encyclopedia Project Management
CPM Diagramming Methods
Contents Pages
THE ADM METHOD .......................................................................................................... 1

ADM Network Layout .............................................................................................. 1
ADM Network Numbering........................................................................................ 4
THE PDM METHOD........................................................................................................... 6
PDM Network Layout............................................................................................... 6
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

THE ADM METHOD
ADM Network Layout
The ADM CPM Network accepted layout procedure is to lay out the network by going from left
to right and top to bottom; therefore, if one follows the sequence of activities on a network from
the first scheduled activity to the last scheduled activity, the progression will generally be in a left
to right and top to bottom movement. At times, the above described procedure can be violated
for the sake of expediency. For example: you are hand drafting an ADM network, and, upon
completion of a 2,000 activity ADM network, you discover that you have omitted 5 activities.
The required position for the activities has been taken by other activities and, therefore, in order
to place these activities in their proper left to right and top to bottom position may mean
redrafting 1200 activities. In that case, you would make an exception. In the present day and
age, you probably would have all the network drafting accomplished by the computer via a plotter
(if available), and you may never have such a problem. The computerized planning and
scheduling software packages will generally plot all your activities from left to right and top to
bottom.
It is also a good practice to minimize crossovers. Crossovers are cases where the logic in a
network cannot be accomplished without traversing other logic lines. Crossovers ought to be
minimized, and, where impossible to avoid, they are accomplished by a pass through, which is
merely a break in the logic line. The break in the logic line is indicated with a parenthesis on the
beginning of the break and a parenthesis on the other end of the break. Refer to Item A of Figure
1 for an example of a crossover.
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 1

The carryover is also a practice that should be standardized on all CPM networks. The carryover
procedure is used when going from one sheet to another sheet on a CPM network. The generally
accepted procedure is to label the preceding page's activity (ACT) with a note saying "To the
succeeding ACT's I Node Number and description". On the following page, the succeeding ACT
is noted "From the preceding ACT's J Node Number with the corresponding ACT's description".
See Items B and C of Figure 2 for an example of a carryover. It is also a good procedure in
ADM to show the ACT's I Node as a broken node on the preceding sheet and the J Node on the
succeeding page, but these nodes should not be shown in this way unless they are in fact the same
nodes and they are not connected by a dummy as is shown in Item B and C of Figure 2. See
Items D and E of Figure 2 for the broken node system of carryover.
In ADM there is the "double dummy" system which is used to depict crew sequencing. For
example: If you sequenced forming, rebar and concrete work in an ADM CPM Network, as
shown in Figure 3, you would discover that the forming of area B concrete is indeed restraining
the pouring of concrete in area A, and that the forming of area C is restraining the pouring of area
B concrete. The intent of the sequencing was in all probability to break the work into three areas
and sequence the like trades accordingly. Refer to Figure 4 which shows how the double dummy
system is used to avoid this false logic. In Figure 4, the work is sequenced by each individual
trade per each phase and per the physical requirement that the forming be accomplished first,
followed by rebar installation and, then, by the concrete installation.


ADM Network Numbering
Numbering of ADM CPM networks can be done in various ways. Psychologically, it is best for
the early time ACT's to have lower numbers than the numbers for the later time ACT's. It is not
required to sequentially number activities by any of the modern day computer software systems,
nor is it necessary when hand drafting and manually calculating a network. The accepted
procedure is to begin the network with the lowest number and proceed so that the numbering is
sequentially done with the highest number being the last ACT Node.

It is common practice to skip numbers when assigning numbers to I and J nodes of a network.
This is to facilitate adding new activities at a later time and locating them close to related
activities. For example, one may choose to use only even numbers, saving odd numbers for later
additions; or numbering by five’s (5, 10, 15, etc.). The main point is not the method used but
being consistent in its application.
An ADM CPM network can also be numbered through use of a grid system. Grid sheets are used
for this purpose. The vertical grid lines are labeled with numeric characters, and the horizontal
grid lines are labeled with alpha characters. The CPM ACT's would be numbered (left to right) by
sheet no., horizontal grid letter, and the vertical grid number as the last two digits. The grid
system numbering can be combined with a discipline and/or phase of work as the lead numbers
(most left digits of the ACT's number). For example: An ACT is for Phase A of the Structural
Steel (SS) erection on a building. The ACT is on Sheet 12 of the ADM CPM network. The I
node is at the intersection of grid lines D & 14, and the J node is at the intersection of grid lines D
& 15. Then the ACT ID is ASS12D14-ASS12D15. There are many methods or procedures.
The important point is to be consistent throughout the network. The ability to identify an ACT's
discipline, the trade, or the phase of work by merely knowing its number facilitates an ADM CPM
network review. The ACT's discipline, trade, or phase can also be identified by ACT coding,
which will be addressed later in this course.

THE PDM METHOD
PDM Network Layout
The PDM CPM Network Work Items (WI's) are laid out from left to right and top to bottom as
are the ADM ACT's. The main differences are that PDM uses only one number to identify the WI
and that PDM is depicted by a rectangular box. There are very few other differences, except that
there will be no broken node for carryover because the node does not exist. The grid system of
numbering can be more easily applied in PDM than ADM as only one number identifies each
activity.
Figure 5, which follows, is an example of a PDM CPM Network with its typical pass through's,
carryovers, etc.
Figure 6 depicts the various logic relationships (lag & lead factors).
100 102 108

MOBILIZE CLEAR & GRUB FORMWORK
104 106 TO PAGE 2

REBAR
LAYOUT EXCAVATE WI 120
110
UTILITIES
Typical PDM Network Diagram

FIGURE 5


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Engineering Encyclopedia

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

CPM DIAGRAMMING METHODS

Chapter : Project Management For additional information on this subject, contact

THE ADM METHOD .......................................................................................................... 1

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

THE ADM METHOD

ADM Network Layout

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 1

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 2

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 3

ADM Network Numbering

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 4

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 5

THE PDM METHOD

PDM Network Layout

100 102 108

104 106 TO PAGE 2

Typical PDM Network Diagram

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 6

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 7

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