Construction Schedules and Baselines

Schedules are the backbone of construction simulations. Construction of project geometry is simulated using task durations in the schedule. Vehicle operations are also excecuted based on schedule data.

By default, the construction simulation is controlled by planned durations. There are four sets of durations, start and end columns in the schedule and each baseline. These sets durations and dates have special relationships based on scheduling logic. The relationship between the schedule data is modeled after standardized scheduling software like Primavera P6, Asta Powerproject, and Microsoft Project.

The Duration column specifies an elapsed time for the task. It can be edited by selecting the textbox and entering a duration. Durations need a unit for example: days, weeks, years.

The Start or End columns specify the start and end of the task. It can be edited by selecting the calendar icon in their associated columns. Whichever column is selected the Calendar popup appears allowing you to select the start and the end at the same time.

Depending on the current 4D Settings the duration may automatically update to reflect the difference between the start and end for each set of dates. However a user may want to disable the schedule logic to ensure that all durations and dates are preserved when importing. There are multiple ways to control how these are updated and whether they are matching.

The Auto Fill Duration check box ensures that the duration reflects the difference between the start and end.

The Manually Schedule Tasks checkbox toggles whether the Remaining, Actual, Planned and Start / End dates follow scheduling logic. By default, it is off to ensure that user created schedules are sensible. However, it can be turned on if importing from authoring software that does not have scheduling logic.

Recalculates the schedule based on its associated logic. This setting is only available with Manually Schedule Tasks turned off.

Some data from authoring software is imported into columns that are not visible by default. In order to view and manipulate these set of durations the user must switch a simulation column to set of durations and dates that contains the data. The Simulate Column Headers can be selected to switch to a different set of durations and dates. This also changes what durations are used to animate objects in the 3D view and what data is displayed in the table. When selected a list of all possible schedules appears. The user can view two sets at a time.

The Primary Simulation Schedule is populated with the Planned Dates by default. Objects in the 3D view are animated using the schedule in this column

The Alternate Simulation Schedule is populated with the Actual Dates by default. Objects in the Alternate 3D view are animated using the schedule in this column. For more information see 4D Analysis.

Chooses a highlight color for the task. Objects assigned to the task appear this color during animation. This can be changed for multiple selected tasks. The highlight color is associated with the simulation column it appears below not the schedule data loaded into it.

There are four different sets of durations and dates that can be loaded into the simulation columns.

The Start / End Dates reflect the data in the Planned or Actual columns.

The Planned Dates describe the timeframe in which a task was estimated to be complete.

The Actual Dates describes the timeframe a task was recorded complete during construction.

The Remaining Dates describes the timeframe left to complete the task. If the Progress Status is set to Not Started this set of dates reflects the data in the Planned Columns. If the Progress Status is set to In Progress the Remaining Schedule is editable. If the Progress Status is set to Finished the remaining schedule is set to null values.

Depending on the Progress Status column of the task the Start / End Dates display different information. The Progress Status can be Not Started, In Progress or Finished. If the Progress status is set to Not Started the Start / End dates reflect the remaining Start and End. When the Progress Status is set to In Progress the Start reflects the Actual Start while the End reflects the Remaining End. If there is data in your actual schedule and the Progress Status is set to Not Started the actual schedule is removed. This is because tasks that have not started yet cannot have an actual schedule. If you enter data into an empty Actual Schedule manually Progress Status is automatically set to In Progress. If Progress Status is set to Finished the Start / End reflect the Actual Schedule.

The % Complete column is calculated using the following expression. If the Progress Status is set to Not Started the % Complete is 0%. If the Progress Status is set to Finished the % Complete column is 100%.

Each Baseline Schedule contains and additional 4 sets of durations and dates that can be placed into your simulation columns for 4D Analysis. Similarly, these sets are the Planned, Actual, Start / End and Remaining. Baseline schedules are not automatically updated by scheduling and can freely break constraint and task relationships regardless of Fuzor settings.

When importing an XML from authoring software, baselines are imported and can be managed in Baseline Settings. These baselines need to be assigned in the Baseline Settings in order to used in a construction simulation.

The Baseline Settings menu is used to assign, create and manage baselines in your project. It contains a list of all baselines in your project. Baselines in the list can be selected.

The New button creates a new baseline in the list. populating with dates from the schedule.

The Clone button duplicates the currently selected baseline

The Update button overwrites the currently selected baseline with the data in the schedule.

A baseline needs to be assigned in order for one of is sets of durations and dates to be selected by the Simulation dropdown menu in the Task Table. Each of the Baseline Drop Down Menus can be used to assign a baseline in your project as an available schedule in your project.

The Project Baseline is the main baseline for your project. By default, this is set to the Current Project unless a Different Project Baseline is imported with an XML.

User Baselines are alternate baselines.