IFC - Industry Foundation Classes/IFC materials

Introduction

IfcMaterial retain information about «real world» material with their thermal, energy, optical, mechanical etc… properties.

Visible color in authoring software might be related to IfcStyle rather than material. Styles are more a virtual ways to display objects in authoring software including line style (border, axis etc…) a color representing what kind of fluid flows in a duct or a pipe etc…

General case

Following diagram shows how materials are related to their object. Any child of IfcObjectDefinition as IfcWall, IfcDuct etc… can get a material assigned this way :

Typical usages

IFC materials can be set using different ways depending on complexity and shape.

Material Constituent Set

A typical usage for material constituent set is a door or a window made of different part like frame + glass :

Material Layer Set

Typical usage for material layer set is a wall which is often made of multiple layers as concrete + insulation + plaster :

Material Profile Set

Typical usage for material profile set is a duct, pipe or a beam :

Material (alone)

Any component with a single material with do not require layer, constituent or profile info can be applied directly. A stirrup or a pipe might have their material assigned this way.