IFC 4.3.2.20250905 (IFC4X3_ADD2) under development

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4 Fundamental concepts and assumptions

This specification consists of a schema defining data types, along with common concepts indicating use of data types for particular scenarios. This chapter defines such common concepts, which are applied at entities having specific use. Such concepts also form the basis of model views, which are supplementary specifications that adapt the scope of this schema for targeted use of the IFC standard for specific levels of advancement in usage.

Each concept template defines a graph of entities and attributes and parameters for particular attributes and instance types. Various entities within this schema reference such concept templates and adapt them for particular use according to parameters.

The 'Ports' concept template defines distribution system connectivity for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; a pipe segment defines an application of the 'Ports' concept, having one port as an inlet and another as an outlet.
  1. 4.1.1    Object Assignment
    1. 4.1.1.1    Actor Assignment
    2. 4.1.1.2    Assignment to Group
      1. 4.1.1.2.1    Alignment Grouping
        AbV
      2. 4.1.1.2.2    Component to Distribution System
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.1.2.3    Port to Distribution System
        RV
        AbV
      4. 4.1.1.2.4    Survey Elements Grouping
        AbV
    3. 4.1.1.3    Control Assignment
    4. 4.1.1.4    Group Assignment
      RV
      AbV
    5. 4.1.1.5    Process Assignment
    6. 4.1.1.6    Process Type Assignment
    7. 4.1.1.7    Product Assignment
    8. 4.1.1.8    Product Type Assignment
    9. 4.1.1.9    Resource Assignment
    10. 4.1.1.10    Resource Type Assignment
  2. 4.1.2    Object Association
    1. 4.1.2.1    Approval Association
    2. 4.1.2.2    Classification Association
      RV
      AbV
    3. 4.1.2.3    Constraint Association
    4. 4.1.2.4    Document Association
    5. 4.1.2.5    Library Association
    6. 4.1.2.6    Material Association
      1. 4.1.2.6.1    Material Constituent Set
        RV
        AbV
      2. 4.1.2.6.2    Material Layer Set Usage
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.2.6.3    Material Profile Set Usage
      4. 4.1.2.6.4    Material Set
        RV
        AbV
      5. 4.1.2.6.5    Material Single
        RV
        AbV
  3. 4.1.3    Object Attributes
    1. 4.1.3.1    Object Occurrence Attributes
      1. 4.1.3.1.1    Element Occurrence Attributes
        1. 4.1.3.1.1.1    Door Attributes
        2. 4.1.3.1.1.2    Mechanical Fastener Attributes
        3. 4.1.3.1.1.3    Reinforcing Bar Attributes
        4. 4.1.3.1.1.4    Reinforcing Mesh Attributes
        5. 4.1.3.1.1.5    Tendon Attributes
        6. 4.1.3.1.1.6    Window Attributes
      2. 4.1.3.1.2    Grid Attributes
      3. 4.1.3.1.3    Spatial Element Attributes
        1. 4.1.3.1.3.1    Building Attributes
        2. 4.1.3.1.3.2    Site Attributes
        3. 4.1.3.1.3.3    Space Attributes
        4. 4.1.3.1.3.4    Spatial Zone Attributes
      4. 4.1.3.1.4    System Element Attributes
    2. 4.1.3.2    Object Predefined Type
      RV
      AbV
    3. 4.1.3.3    Object Type Attributes
      1. 4.1.3.3.1    Door Type Attributes
      2. 4.1.3.3.2    Mechanical Fastener Type Attributes
      3. 4.1.3.3.3    Reinforcing Bar Type Attributes
      4. 4.1.3.3.4    Reinforcing Mesh Type Attributes
      5. 4.1.3.3.5    Tendon Type Attributes
      6. 4.1.3.3.6    Window Type Attributes
    4. 4.1.3.4    Object Type Predefined Type
      RV
      AbV
      1. 4.1.3.4.1    Element Type Predefined Type
      2. 4.1.3.4.2    Spatial Element Type Predefined Type
    5. 4.1.3.5    Object User Identity
      RV
      AbV
    6. 4.1.3.6    Revision Control
      RV
      AbV
    7. 4.1.3.7    Software Identity
      RV
      AbV
  4. 4.1.4    Object Composition
    1. 4.1.4.1    Aggregation
      1. 4.1.4.1.1    Alignment Aggregation To Project
        AbV
      2. 4.1.4.1.2    Element Composition
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.4.1.3    Element Decomposition
        RV
        AbV
      4. 4.1.4.1.4    Spatial Composition
        RV
        AbV
      5. 4.1.4.1.5    Spatial Decomposition
        RV
        AbV
    2. 4.1.4.2    Element Projecting
    3. 4.1.4.3    Element Voiding
      1. 4.1.4.3.1    Earthworks Cuttings
      2. 4.1.4.3.2    Element Openings
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.4.3.3    Element Voiding Features
        RV
        AbV
    4. 4.1.4.4    Nesting
      1. 4.1.4.4.1    Alignment Layouts
        AbV
        1. 4.1.4.4.1.1    Alignment Layout - Horizontal, Vertical and Cant
          AbV
        2. 4.1.4.4.1.2    Alignment Layout - Reusing Horizontal Layout
          AbV
      2. 4.1.4.4.2    Element Nesting
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.4.4.3    Object Nesting
      4. 4.1.4.4.4    Port Nesting
        RV
        AbV
      5. 4.1.4.4.5    Survey Elements Nesting
        RV
        AbV
      6. 4.1.4.4.6    Type Element Nesting
      7. 4.1.4.4.7    Type Port Nesting
    5. 4.1.4.5    Surface Feature Adherence
    6. 4.1.4.6    Type Element Aggregation
  5. 4.1.5    Object Connectivity
    1. 4.1.5.1    Alignment Spatial Reference
      AbV
    2. 4.1.5.2    Control Flow
    3. 4.1.5.3    Element Connectivity
      1. 4.1.5.3.1    Path Connectivity
      2. 4.1.5.3.2    Port Connectivity
        RV
        AbV
    4. 4.1.5.4    Element Covering
      RV
      AbV
    5. 4.1.5.5    Element Filling
      RV
      AbV
    6. 4.1.5.6    Element Interference
    7. 4.1.5.7    Group Spatial Connectivity
      RV
      AbV
    8. 4.1.5.8    Product Relative Positioning
      AbV
    9. 4.1.5.9    Product Span Positioning
      AbV
    10. 4.1.5.10    Sequential Connectivity
    11. 4.1.5.11    Space Boundaries
      1. 4.1.5.11.1    Space Boundaries 1st Level
      2. 4.1.5.11.2    Space Boundaries 2nd Level
    12. 4.1.5.12    Spatial Service Connectivity
      RV
      AbV
    13. 4.1.5.13    Spatial Structure
      1. 4.1.5.13.1    Spatial Container
        RV
        AbV
      2. 4.1.5.13.2    Spatial Containment
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.5.13.3    Spatial Interference
        AbV
        1. 4.1.5.13.3.1    Spatial Interference With Zones
    14. 4.1.5.14    Structural Activity
    15. 4.1.5.15    Structural Connectivity
  6. 4.1.6    Object Definition
    1. 4.1.6.1    Object Typing
      RV
      AbV
    2. 4.1.6.2    Property Sets
      1. 4.1.6.2.1    Property Sets for Contexts
      2. 4.1.6.2.2    Property Sets for Materials
        RV
        AbV
      3. 4.1.6.2.3    Property Sets for Objects
        RV
        AbV
        1. 4.1.6.2.3.1    Property Sets with Override
          RV
          AbV
      4. 4.1.6.2.4    Property Sets for Performance
      5. 4.1.6.2.5    Property Sets for Profiles
      6. 4.1.6.2.6    Property Sets for Types
        RV
        AbV
    3. 4.1.6.3    Quantity Sets
      RV
      AbV
  7. 4.1.7    Product Shape
    1. 4.1.7.1    Product Geometric Representation
      RV
      AbV
      1. 4.1.7.1.1    Alignment Geometry
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.1.1    Alignment Geometry - Horizontal
          AbV
        2. 4.1.7.1.1.2    Alignment Geometry - Horizontal and Vertical
          AbV
        3. 4.1.7.1.1.3    Alignment Geometry - Horizontal, Vertical and Cant
          AbV
        4. 4.1.7.1.1.4    Alignment Geometry - Segments
          AbV
      2. 4.1.7.1.2    Annotation Geometry
        RV
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.2.1    Annotation 2D Geometry
          RV
          AbV
        2. 4.1.7.1.2.2    Annotation 3D Geometry
          RV
          AbV
        3. 4.1.7.1.2.3    Set Of Survey Points
          RV
          AbV
        4. 4.1.7.1.2.4    Single Survey Line
          RV
          AbV
        5. 4.1.7.1.2.5    Single Survey Point
          RV
          AbV
        6. 4.1.7.1.2.6    Single Survey Point Linearly Placed
          AbV
      3. 4.1.7.1.3    Axis Geometry
        RV
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.3.1    Axis 2D Geometry
          RV
          AbV
        2. 4.1.7.1.3.2    Axis 3D Geometry
          RV
          AbV
      4. 4.1.7.1.4    Body Geometry
        RV
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.4.1    Body AdvancedBrep Geometry
          AbV
        2. 4.1.7.1.4.2    Body AdvancedSweptSolid Geometry
          RV
          AbV
          1. 4.1.7.1.4.2.1    Body AdvancedSwept Directrix Geometry
          2. 4.1.7.1.4.2.2    Body AdvancedSwept DiskSolid PolyCurve Geometry
            RV
            AbV
          3. 4.1.7.1.4.2.3    Body AdvancedSwept Tapered Geometry
          4. 4.1.7.1.4.2.4    Body SectionedSolidHorizontal
        3. 4.1.7.1.4.3    Body Brep Geometry
          RV
          AbV
        4. 4.1.7.1.4.4    Body CSG Geometry
        5. 4.1.7.1.4.5    Body Clipping Geometry
          AbV
        6. 4.1.7.1.4.6    Body SurfaceModel Geometry
          AbV
        7. 4.1.7.1.4.7    Body SurfaceOrSolidModel Geometry
          AbV
        8. 4.1.7.1.4.8    Body SweptSolid Geometry
          RV
          AbV
          1. 4.1.7.1.4.8.1    Body SweptSolid Composite Geometry
          2. 4.1.7.1.4.8.2    Body SweptSolid CompositeCurve Geometry
          3. 4.1.7.1.4.8.3    Body SweptSolid ParameterizedProfile Geometry
          4. 4.1.7.1.4.8.4    Body SweptSolid PolyCurve Geometry
            RV
            AbV
        9. 4.1.7.1.4.9    Body Tessellation Geometry
          RV
          AbV
      5. 4.1.7.1.5    Box Geometry
        RV
        AbV
      6. 4.1.7.1.6    Clearance Geometry
        RV
        AbV
      7. 4.1.7.1.7    CoG Geometry
        RV
        AbV
      8. 4.1.7.1.8    FootPrint Geometry
        RV
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.8.1    FootPrint Annotation Geometry
          RV
          AbV
        2. 4.1.7.1.8.2    FootPrint GeomSet Geometry
          RV
          AbV
          1. 4.1.7.1.8.2.1    FootPrint GeomSet PolyCurve Geometry
      9. 4.1.7.1.9    Lighting Geometry
      10. 4.1.7.1.10    Mapped Geometry
        RV
        AbV
      11. 4.1.7.1.11    Profile Geometry
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.11.1    Profile 3D Geometry
      12. 4.1.7.1.12    Reference Geometry
        RV
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.12.1    Reference SweptSolid Geometry
          RV
          AbV
          1. 4.1.7.1.12.1.1    Reference SweptSolid PolyCurve Geometry
            RV
            AbV
        2. 4.1.7.1.12.2    Reference Tessellation Geometry
          RV
          AbV
      13. 4.1.7.1.13    Surface Geometry
        AbV
        1. 4.1.7.1.13.1    Surface 3D Geometry
        2. 4.1.7.1.13.2    Surface Sectioned Geometry
        3. 4.1.7.1.13.3    Surface Tessellation Geometry
          RV
          AbV
    2. 4.1.7.2    Product Geometry Colour
      RV
      AbV
    3. 4.1.7.3    Product Geometry Layer
      RV
      AbV
    4. 4.1.7.4    Product Placement
      1. 4.1.7.4.1    Product Grid Placement
        AbV
      2. 4.1.7.4.2    Product Linear Placement
        AbV
      3. 4.1.7.4.3    Product Local Placement
        RV
        AbV
    5. 4.1.7.5    Product Topology Representation
      1. 4.1.7.5.1    Reference Topology
  8. 4.1.8    Product Type Shape
    1. 4.1.8.1    Product Type Geometric Representation
      1. 4.1.8.1.1    Type Axis Geometry
      2. 4.1.8.1.2    Type Body Geometry
        1. 4.1.8.1.2.1    Type Body AdvancedBrep Geometry
        2. 4.1.8.1.2.2    Type Body Brep Geometry
        3. 4.1.8.1.2.3    Type Body CSG Geometry
        4. 4.1.8.1.2.4    Type Body Tessellated Geometry
      3. 4.1.8.1.3    Type Clearance Geometry
      4. 4.1.8.1.4    Type Lighting Geometry
  9. 4.1.9    Project Context
    1. 4.1.9.1    Project Classification Information
      RV
      AbV
    2. 4.1.9.2    Project Declaration
      RV
      AbV
      1. 4.1.9.2.1    Project Template Definitions
      2. 4.1.9.2.2    Project Type Definitions
        RV
        AbV
    3. 4.1.9.3    Project Document Information
      RV
      AbV
    4. 4.1.9.4    Project Global Positioning
      RV
      AbV
    5. 4.1.9.5    Project Global Positioning Geographic
      RV
      AbV
    6. 4.1.9.6    Project Global Positioning Mapped
      RV
      AbV
    7. 4.1.9.7    Project Library Information
    8. 4.1.9.8    Project Representation Context
      RV
      AbV
      1. 4.1.9.8.1    Project Representation Context 2D
        RV
        AbV
      2. 4.1.9.8.2    Project Representation Context 3D
        RV
        AbV
    9. 4.1.9.9    Project Units
      RV
      AbV
  10. 4.1.10    Resource Limits
    1. 4.1.10.1    Resource Cost
    2. 4.1.10.2    Resource Quantity

4.2 Partial Templates

  1. 4.2.1    Coordinate Reference System in WKT
  2. 4.2.2    Geometry
    1. 4.2.2.1    Curve Axis Geometry
      1. 4.2.2.1.1    Gradient Curve
    2. 4.2.2.2    Curve Segment Geometry
      1. 4.2.2.2.1    Arc Segment
      2. 4.2.2.2.2    Bloss Transition Segment
      3. 4.2.2.2.3    Clothoid Transition Segment
      4. 4.2.2.2.4    Cosine Spiral Transition Segment
      5. 4.2.2.2.5    Cubic Transition Segment
      6. 4.2.2.2.6    Helmert Transition Segment
      7. 4.2.2.2.7    Linear Segment
      8. 4.2.2.2.8    Parabolic Transition Segment
      9. 4.2.2.2.9    Sine Spiral Transition Segment
      10. 4.2.2.2.10    Viennese Bend Transition Segment
    3. 4.2.2.3    Solid Model Geometry
      1. 4.2.2.3.1    Advanced Brep Geometry
      2. 4.2.2.3.2    Faceted Brep Geometry
      3. 4.2.2.3.3    Swept Disk Solid Geometry
        1. 4.2.2.3.3.1    Swept Disk Solid PolyCurve Directrix
      4. 4.2.2.3.4    Swept Solid Geometry
        1. 4.2.2.3.4.1    Extruded Area Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.3.4.1.1    Extruded Area Basic Profile
          2. 4.2.2.3.4.1.2    Extruded Area Composite Profile
          3. 4.2.2.3.4.1.3    Extruded Area CompositeCurve Profile
          4. 4.2.2.3.4.1.4    Extruded Area PolyCurve Profile
          5. 4.2.2.3.4.1.5    Extruded Area Standardized Profile
        2. 4.2.2.3.4.2    Extruded Area Tapered Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.3.4.2.1    Extruded Area Tapered Parameterized Profile
          2. 4.2.2.3.4.2.2    Extruded Area Tapered PolyCurve Profile
        3. 4.2.2.3.4.3    FixedReference SweptArea Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.3.4.3.1    FixedReference SweptArea PolyCurve Profile
        4. 4.2.2.3.4.4    Revolved Area Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.3.4.4.1    Revolved Area Basic Profile
          2. 4.2.2.3.4.4.2    Revolved Area CompositeCurve Profile
          3. 4.2.2.3.4.4.3    Revolved Area PolyCurve Profile
          4. 4.2.2.3.4.4.4    Revolved Area Standardized Profile
        5. 4.2.2.3.4.5    Revolved Area Tapered Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.3.4.5.1    Revolved Area Tapered Parameterized Profile
          2. 4.2.2.3.4.5.2    Revolved Area Tapered PolyCurve Profile
        6. 4.2.2.3.4.6    SurfaceCurve SweptArea Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.3.4.6.1    SurfaceCurve SweptArea PolyCurve Profile
    4. 4.2.2.4    Surface Model Geometry
      1. 4.2.2.4.1    FaceBased Surface Model
      2. 4.2.2.4.2    ShellBased Surface Model
      3. 4.2.2.4.3    Tessellated Geometry
        1. 4.2.2.4.3.1    Polygonal Geometry
        2. 4.2.2.4.3.2    Triangulated Geometry
          1. 4.2.2.4.3.2.1    Triangulated Geometry With Textures
  3. 4.2.3    Geometry Styles
    1. 4.2.3.1    Geometry Curve Style
    2. 4.2.3.2    Geometry Fill Area Style
    3. 4.2.3.3    Geometry Surface Style
      1. 4.2.3.3.1    Surface Color Style
      2. 4.2.3.3.2    Surface Texture Style
    4. 4.2.3.4    Geometry Text Style
  4. 4.2.4    Layer
  5. 4.2.5    Material Definition
    1. 4.2.5.1    Material
  6. 4.2.6    Material Properties
  7. 4.2.7    Material Styles
    1. 4.2.7.1    Material Surface Style
      1. 4.2.7.1.1    Material Surface Color Style
  8. 4.2.8    Profile Definition
    1. 4.2.8.1    Arbitrary Profile Definition
      1. 4.2.8.1.1    Centerline Profile Definition
      2. 4.2.8.1.2    CompositeCurve Profile Definition
      3. 4.2.8.1.3    PolyCurve Profile Definition
      4. 4.2.8.1.4    PolyCurve with Voids Profile Definition
    2. 4.2.8.2    Derived Profile Definition
      1. 4.2.8.2.1    Composite Profile Definition
      2. 4.2.8.2.2    Transformed Profile Definition
    3. 4.2.8.3    Parameterized Profile Definition
      1. 4.2.8.3.1    Basic Profile Definition
        1. 4.2.8.3.1.1    Circle Hollow Profile Definition
        2. 4.2.8.3.1.2    Circle Profile Definition
        3. 4.2.8.3.1.3    Ellipse Profile Definition
        4. 4.2.8.3.1.4    Rectangle Hollow Profile Definition
        5. 4.2.8.3.1.5    Rectangle Profile Definition
        6. 4.2.8.3.1.6    Rectangle Rounded Profile Definition
      2. 4.2.8.3.2    Standardized Profile Definition
        1. 4.2.8.3.2.1    C-Shape Profile Definition
        2. 4.2.8.3.2.2    I-Shape Asymmetric Profile Definition
        3. 4.2.8.3.2.3    I-Shape Profile Definition
        4. 4.2.8.3.2.4    L-Shape Profile Definition
        5. 4.2.8.3.2.5    T-Shape Profile Definition
        6. 4.2.8.3.2.6    U-Shape Profile Definition
        7. 4.2.8.3.2.7    Z-Shape Profile Definition
  9. 4.2.9    Profile Properties
  10. 4.2.10    Quantities
    1. 4.2.10.1    Area Quantity
    2. 4.2.10.2    Count Quantity
    3. 4.2.10.3    Length Quantity
    4. 4.2.10.4    Time Quantity
    5. 4.2.10.5    Volume Quantity
    6. 4.2.10.6    Weight Quantity
  11. 4.2.11    Texture
    1. 4.2.11.1    Image Texture
    2. 4.2.11.2    Texture Map
      1. 4.2.11.2.1    Indexed Texture Map
  12. 4.2.12    Values
    1. 4.2.12.1    Bounded Value
    2. 4.2.12.2    Enumerated Value
    3. 4.2.12.3    List Value
    4. 4.2.12.4    Reference Value Time Series
    5. 4.2.12.5    Single Value
    6. 4.2.12.6    Table Value

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