Fuzzy Critical Path

in
a Network
L. Sujatha
Asst. Prof. Dept. of
Mathematics
Auxilium College, Vellore 6

Dr. (Sr.) Elizabeth

Sebastian
Vice Principal ,
Auxilium College, Vellore 6

ABSTRACT
Four different procedures are presented to obtain
the fuzzy critical path in an acyclic network.
The optimal solution obtained through the procedures
proposed in this paper coincides with the existing earlier
results.
Keywords:

Network (Graph), Fuzzy trapezoidal numbers,

cut interval numbers, Signed distance measure, Centroid
measure, Metric distance, Ranking degree, Mean-Width
notation of -cut interval numbers, Critical path, Decision
Maker.

INTRODUCTION

Critical Path - one of the most important

problem

Wide range of applications in planning and

scheduling projects.

Organization of the paper

BASIC DEFINITIONS
Chen and Chengs membership function
A = (a1, a2, a3, a4; ),

0 < 1, a1< a2 < a3 < a4

2
3
=1
4

BASIC DEFINITIONS
-Cut interval (Chen and Cheng (2005))

BASIC DEFINITIONS
Operations on -Cut interval (Kwang (2005))
7
8
9
10
11

BASIC
DEFINITIONS
Signed Distance of b Closed interval [a,b]
measured from 0 -

F. T. Lin(2001)
12

13

BASIC
Interval numbers in terms of mean - width
DEFINITIONS
notation
(Nayeem and Pal (2009))

14
15

16

17

BASIC
DEFINITIONS
Addition operation
in mean-width notation
(Nayeem and Pal (2009))

18

NEW DEFINITIONS
Maximum operation for two interval numbers in
meanwidth notation

19

NEW DEFINITIONS
The signed distance of -cut interval number
20
21

22

NEW DEFINITIONS
Mean and Standard deviation of -cut interval
number
23

24

25

NEW DEFINITIONS
Centroid measure for -cut interval
number
26

27

NEW DEFINITIONS
Metric distance
28

29

30

NEW DEFINITIONS
Ranking degree
31
32
33

34

NEW DEFINITIONS
-cut interval numbers in terms of mean-width
notation
35

36

37

NEW DEFINITIONS
Acceptability Index
38
39

40

NEW DEFINITIONS
Area Measure (Elizabeth and Sujatha (2011))
41
42

43

Procedure for Fuzzy Critical Path

Problem
Forward Pass Calculation
44
45
Backward Pass Calculation
46
47
Total
Float

48

PROCEDURE 1
Step 1: Construct a network G(V,E) , arc lengths or edge
weights are taken as trapezoidal fuzzy numbers which in turn
converted in terms of -cut interval numbers
Step 2: Calculate Earliest starting time according to forward
pass calculation
Step 3: Calculate Earliest finishing time using 45
Step 4: Calculate Latest finishing time according to
backward pass calculation
Step 5: Calculate Latest starting time using 47

PROCEDURE 1
Step 6: Calculate Total Float using

48

Step 7: Calculate Centroid measure or Signed distance

measure for each activity using 27
Step 8: If Centroid measure = Signed distance measure = 0,
those activities are called critical activities and the
corresponding path is the critical path.

EXAMPLE : 1
Figure 1
Network of Civil
Project

Consider, a civil building construction project:

1 - Excavation and Foundation,
2 - Columns and Beams,
3 Brick Work,
4 Flooring,
5 Roof concrete,
6 Plastering,
7 Painting.

RESULTS OF THE NETWORK BASED ON

CENTROID MEASURE

RESULTS OF THE NETWORK BASED ON

CENTROID MEASURE

Path p3 : 1-3-4-7 is identified as the critical path

RESULTS OF THE NETWORK BASED ON

AREA MEASURE (Verification)

Path p3 : 1-3-4-7 is identified as the critical

PROCEDURE 2
Step 1: is same as in procedure 1.
Step 2: Calculate all possible paths pi , i=1 to n from
source vertex s to the destination vertex d and the
corresponding path lengths Li , i=1 to n using addition
operation 8 and set

Step 3: Calculate metric distance for each possible path

lengths D (Li , 0) for i = 1 to n using 29
Step 4: The path having the maximum metric distance is
identified as the critical path

PROCEDURE 3
Step 1 and Step 2 are same as in procedure 2.
Step 3: Calculate Lmax using 10 and set

Step 4: Calculate Ranking degree using 33 for each

possible path lengths Li that is, i = 1to n

Step 5: The path having the minimum Ranking

degree is identified as the critical path

PROCEDURE 4
Step 1 and Step 2 : are same as in procedure 2.
Step 3 :The path lengths Li, i=1 to n given in terms of -cut interval
numbers are converted into mean-width notation using 36 and set

Step 4:Calculate Lmax in terms of mean-width notation using 39

and set
Step 5: Calculate Acceptability index between Li and Lmax using

Step 6:The path having the minimum Acceptability Index is

40

EXAMPLE

Metric Distance

Ranking

Degree
Paths

D(Li, 0) Ranking

Paths

R(LmaxLi)

Ranking

p1 : 1-2-4-7

201.3

p1 : 1-2-4-7

17.5

p2 : 1-2-5-7

211.5

p2 : 1-2-5-7

10

p3 : 1-3-4-7

227.5

p3 : 1-3-4-7

p4 : 1-3-6-7

183.7

p4 : 1-3-6-7

30.5

EXAMPLE

Acceptability Index
Paths

A(Li<Lmax)

Ranking

p1 : 1-2-4-7

0.61

p2 : 1-2-5-7

0.37

p3 : 1-3-4-7

p4 : 1-3-6-7

0.98

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

In this paper some procedures are developed to

find the optimal paths in a fuzzy weighted graph

Coincides with the existing earlier result (Soltani

and Haji (2007))
It is an alternative way to identify the critical path
in fuzzy sense.

CONCLUSION

Planning and controlling the complex projects.

Linguistic variables for activity durations, whereas this
specification do not exist in crisp models.
Fuzzy models are more effective in determining the critical
path in a real project network.

REFERENCES
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REFERENCES
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REFERENCES
10. Lin, F.T.(2001). A shortest path network problem in a fuzzy environment,
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THANK YOU