Time-location chart
A time-location chart is a graphical representation of a construction program against axes of time and location (distance). It is a communication tool for project management that is used to inform a team about what needs to be done and when, as clearly and efficiently as possible.
Most construction planning and scheduling is carried out using bar charts, also known as Gantt charts. These charts plot activities against time, making them useful for knowing what to do at a specific time, however, they do not show where the work is being carried out. For civil engineering projects such as pipelines, railways, tunnels and roads, or repetitive projects such as housebuilding or high-rise building, it can be beneficial to chart activities against time and location.
A Gantt chart plots time on the horizontal axis and activities on the vertical axis. In contrast, a time-location chart is much less fixed. Location (distance) is often plotted on the horizontal axis and time on the vertical, although it varies as to whether it runs from the earliest down to the latest date or vice versa. Typically, charts for road and tunnel projects start at the top and progress downwards; whereas projects for buildings and pipelines start at the bottom and progress upwards.
Activities are shown as a line or shape (boxes or symbols) in the main body of the chart, making it possible to view the activities that will be taking place in which location at any particular time. The geometrical shapes show the occupation of the site over time, and ensure that conflicting access can be detected visually. Different types of activity are identified by specific colours, fill patterns, line types or special symbols. A key is used to clarify what the different symbols represent.
The advantage of a time-location chart is that it illustrates all visible activities along a construction site on a single chart. However, care must be taken not to include too much detail, as clarity can be lost in place of complexity, moving away from the purpose of the chart which is to make the construction programme easily understandable.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Activity schedule.
- Construction management.
- Contractor’s master programme.
- Critical path method.
- Design web.
- Gantt chart.
- Key performance indicators.
- Line of balance (LOB).
- Milestones.
- Pareto analysis.
- Programme float.
- Programme for building design and construction.
- Project programme.
- Resource management.
- Scheduling construction activities.
- Time management of construction projects.
Featured articles and news
Apprenticeship announcement by the Prime Minister
Welcomed but with call for more actionable detail.
Heat pump announcements, what homeowners need to know
An 'ultimate guide to heat pumps' from a heating company.
Construction contract awards reach £7.1bn in February
Their highest level in seven months.
The journey to sustainability in heritage
Research is the key to better understanding.
Heritage approaches to adaptation, mitigation and loss.
Bridging the gap between policy, finance and installation.
Development on brownfield land
Definition, background, policy and the latest consultation.
With the Design Framework for Building Services.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Pertinent technical issues, measures and the roles involved.
ECA joins HSE campaign to support mental health
Working Minds’ five simple steps based on risk assessment.
Mental health in the construction industry
Mental health issues in brief with related articles.
Transitional arrangements, Building Control and the BSR.
For pre-October buildings with substantial progress by April.
Why quality counts in domestic ventilation systems
From products, to systems to the installation.
Empowering the Future with CIOB Academy
Lifelong learning, upscaling, and reskilling for the built environment.