Definition from IAI: The association relationship
(IfcRelAssociates) refer to external sources of information (most
notably a classification, library or document). There is no dependency implied
by the association.
EXAMPLE: Further information may the given to
the tank equipment (as subtype of IfcProduct) in terms of its
classification and instruction documents, the source of the additional
information is held external to the IFC project model.
Association relationships can the established to objects (occurences) or
to types (both object types, IfcTypeObject, or partial types,
IfcPropertySetDefinition).
EXAMPLE 1: The classification information for
the tank equipment may be associated to the IfcTypeProduct (subtype of
IfcTypeObject), defining the specific information for all occurencies of
that tank in the project. Therefore the association of the (e.g.) Uniclass
notation 'L6814' may be associated by a subtype of IfcRelAssociates to
the type information.
EXAMPLE 2: The classification information for a
particular space within a building may the associated to the IfcSpace
object (subtype of IfcObject), defining a particular occurrence of
space. Therefore the association of the (e.g.) DIN notation 'HNF 1.5' may be
associated by a subtype of IfcRelAssociates to the
object.
The association relationship establishs a uni-directional association.
The subtypes of IfcRelAssociates establishes the particular semantic
meaning of the association relationship.
HISTORY New entity in IFC
Release 2x.
ISSUE See issue and change log for changes made in IFC Release
2x.
