Class Ifc2x3::IfcDistributionElement

Nested Relationships

This class is a nested type of Struct Ifc2x3.

Inheritance Relationships

Base Type

Derived Types

Class Documentation

class Ifc2x3::IfcDistributionElement : public Ifc2x3::IfcElement

Definition from IAI: Generalization of all elements that participate in a distribution system. Typical examples of IfcDistributionElement are (among others):

building service elements within a heating systems building service elements within a cooling system building service elements within a ventilation system building service elements within a plumbing system

e.g. sanitary elements, fire suppression elements

electrical elements elements within a communication network

The IfcDistributionElement is further specialized in the IFC model. Direct instantiation of IfcDistributionElement without an assigned subtype of IfcDistributionElementType provides the meaning of an distribution element proxy. HISTORY New entity in IFC Release 1.5. IFC2x4 CHANGE The entity is marked as deprecated for instantiation - will be made ABSTRACT after IFC2x4. Relationship Use Definition

Ports - information, whether the distribution element has ports for system connections

objectified relationship: IfcRelConnectsPortToElement object referenced by relationship: IfcPort inverse attribute: HasPorts

Type Use Definition The IfcDistributionElement defines the occurrence of any HVAC, electrical, sanitary or other element within a distribution system. Common information about distribution element types (or styles) is handled by subtypes of IfcDistributionElementType. The IfcDistributionElementType (if present) may establish the common type name, usage (or predefined) type, common material, common set of properties and common shape representations (using IfcRepresentationMap). The IfcDistributionElementType is attached using the IfcRelDefinedByType.RelatingType objectified relationship and is accessible by the inverse IsDefinedBy attribute. The assignment of types to distribution element occurrences is vital for providing the additional meaning, or ontology, of the distribution element. Many specialized type are defined in other schemas of the IFC specification. Quantity Use Definition The quantities relating to the IfcDistributionElement are defined by the IfcElementQuantity and attached by the IfcRelDefinesByProperties. A detailed specification for individual quantities is introduced at the level of subtypes of IfcDistributionElement. Containment Use Definition The IfcDistributionElement may participate in two different containment relationships. The first (and in most implementation scenarios mandatory) relationship is the hierachical spatial containment, the second (optional) relationship is the aggregation within anelement assembly.

The IfcDistributionElement is places within the project spatial hierarchy using the objectified relationship IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure, referring to it by its inverse attribute SELF\IfcElement.ContainedInStructure. Subtypes ofIfcSpatialStructureElement are valid spatial containers, with IfcSpace being the default container. The IfcDistributionElement may be aggregated into an element assembly using the objectified relationship IfcRelAggregates, referring to it by its inverse attribute SELF\IfcObjectDefinition.Decomposes. Any subtype of IfcElement can be an element assembly, with IfcElementAssembly as a special focus subtype. In this case it should not be additionally contained in the project spatial hierarchy, i.e.SELF\IfcElement.ContainedInStructure should be NIL.

Geometry Use Definitions The geometric representation of IfcDistributionElement is given by the IfcProductDefinitionShape, allowing multiple geometric representation. Local Placement The local placement for IfcDistributionElement is defined in its supertype IfcProduct. It is defined by the IfcLocalPlacement, which defines the local coordinate system that is referenced by all geometric representations.

The PlacementRelTo relationship of IfcLocalPlacement shall point (if given) to the local placement of the same IfcSpatialStructureElement , which is used in the ContainedInStructure inverse attribute, or to a spatial structure element at a higher level, referenced by that. If the relative placement is not used, the absolute placement is defined within the world coordinate system.

Geometric Representations The geometric representation of IfcDistributionElement is defined using different geometric representation types for the various subtypes. Only general recommendations are given at the level of the supertype, further constraints are defined at the level of its subtypes.

all occurrences of IfcDistributionElement (and its subtypes) should (whenever possible) share a representation map established by the assigned type. The geometric representation of the occurrence is then an IfcMappedItem. The IfcShapeRepresentation has:

RepresentationIdentifier : ‘Body’ RepresentationType : ‘MappedRepresentation’

The shared geometric representation of the distribution element type (or in some cases of the distribution element) should follow (if applicable) the the following guidelines:

all fixtures (all non distribution flow elements, i.e. everything which is not a duct, a pipe, a cable, or a cable carrier) should be defined by an b-rep geometry. This includes also the complex flow fitting elements (e.g. Y branch or T branch) or distribution flow elements with size changes (e.g. reducer). The IfcShapeRepresentation has:

RepresentationIdentifier : ‘Body’ RepresentationType : ‘Brep’

if the geometric model consistency of a b-rep shape representation can not be guaranteed (arcwise connected volume bounded by faces, each being connected, oriented, finite, closed 2-manifold), a surface representation based on open shells should be used. The IfcShapeRepresentation then has:

RepresentationIdentifier : ‘Body’ RepresentationType : ‘SurfaceModel’

all “simple” distribution flow elements (general ducts and pipes) are defined by sweep geometry. The IfcShapeRepresentation has:

RepresentationIdentifier : ‘Body’ RepresentationType : ‘SweptSolid’

an additional representation type for all “simple” distribution flow elements (general ducts and pipes) is the ability to have a simple line based representation. The IfcShapeRepresentation has:

RepresentationIdentifier : ‘FootPrint’ RepresentationType : ‘GeometricCurveSet’

if only the analytical shape is required for which the exact interpolation between the cross sections is not required, a sectioned spine can be used.

RepresentationIdentifier : ‘Body’ RepresentationType : ‘SectionedSpine’

Subclassed by Ifc2x3::IfcDistributionControlElement, Ifc2x3::IfcDistributionFlowElement

Public Types

typedef IfcTemplatedEntityList<IfcDistributionElement> list

Public Functions

const IfcParse::entity &declaration() const
IfcDistributionElement(IfcEntityInstanceData *e)
IfcDistributionElement(std::string v1_GlobalId, ::Ifc2x3::IfcOwnerHistory *v2_OwnerHistory, boost::optional<std::string> v3_Name, boost::optional<std::string> v4_Description, boost::optional<std::string> v5_ObjectType, ::Ifc2x3::IfcObjectPlacement *v6_ObjectPlacement, ::Ifc2x3::IfcProductRepresentation *v7_Representation, boost::optional<std::string> v8_Tag)

Public Static Functions

const IfcParse::entity &Class()