IFC in SCIA Engineer 2013.0

2013.0

Open BIM - and in addition IFC - is extremely important for SCIA Engineer as we consider IFC to be the preferred data exchange format for 3D models. This is why we actively improve our software and make sure we are certified for IFC 2x3.

SCIA Engineer is proud to be the first CAE software which is IFC 2x3 Coordination View (2.0)-certified. The last certification round has again proved us to be the first CAE software to receive the highly valued certificate.

Below, you can have a look at the latest improvements in the field of IFC, available as of version 2013.

Detailed Technical information

Derived profiles - import

Derived profiles are profiles which can be obtained based on existing profile library items. Examples are a mirrored cross-section or a composed section.

• mirrored section
  
• composed sections
  

In version 2013 we are able to import profiles which are described by means of IfcDerivedProfileDef as General profiles.

Export of 2D reinforcement

In version 2012 we could already import and export 1D reinforcement. For version 2013 we extended the functionality and are now able to export 2D reinforcement as well . The export supports both types Bars and Mesh.

Supported representations are SweptDiskSolid and brep, currently only for rectangular regions of reinforcement

Import of 2D reinforcement

In addition to the export of 2D reinforcement, it is also possible to import 2D IFC reinforcement.

Entities defined as IfcReinforcingMesh cannot be imported as Reinforcing 2D. In this case, these will simply be imported as free bars repeated along the member length.

If IfcReinforcingMesh is defined as brep, surface models, etc. or the user opts to import as general volumes, the reinforcement is imported as solids.

Export of tendons

Post tensioned internal tendons are exported as IfcTendon

The export can be done as AdvancedSweptSolid and as Brep (by 1D members) on the complete model or on a selection.

Import of tendons

Importing tendons, whether as internal or as free is supported as well. One thing to remember is that the strands are not kept (because this info is not available in the IFC)

We just import the tendon as 1 strand with total diameter (e.g. 150 mm²)

Improvements in the IFC-export dialog

To ensure optimal control over the information you are exporting to IFC, we have improved the dialog window to better fit the user’s needs.

You can choose between Coordination view and Simplified view

In addition to the ability to export the full model or export selected items, an extra option is available for filtering entities by type. Available entity types are:

Available are:

• 1D members
• 2D members
• General volumes
• Steel connections
• Stiffeners
• 1D reinforcement
• 2D reinforcement
• Tendons
• Foundation pads
• Attributes
• Line grids

For members, reinforcement and tendons there are two options for the export: SweptSolids and BRep

It is also possible to set the desired units for the export.

Export of BIM properties

In SCIA Engineer we added a new functionality, called BIM properties.

When the BIM Properties are activated, additional properties will be available in the ‘Properties’ dialogue for the handledmembers

Some examples of those properties:

	1D member column	1D member Beam	Wall	Slab
ShapeRepresentation
	Default	Default	Default	Default
	SweptSolid	SweptSolid	SweptSolid	SweptSolid
	BRep	BRep	BRep	BRep
Profile
	Default	Default	/	/
	Arbitrary	Arbitrary	/	/
IFC Entity
	Default	Default	Default	Default
	IfcBeam	IfcBeam	IfcWall	IfcWall
	IfcColumn	IfcColumn	IfcSlab	IfcSlab
	IfcMember	IfcMember
Attributes
	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference
	Slope [deg]	Span [m]	AcousticRating	AcousticRating
	IsExternal	Slope [deg]	FireRating	FireRating
	LoadBearing	IsExternal	Combustible	Combustible
	FireRating	LoadBearing	SurfaceSpreadOfFlame	SurfaceSpreadOfFlame
		FireRating	Thermal Transmittance	Thermal Transmittance
			IsExternal	IsExternal
			LoadBearing	LoadBearing
			FireRating	FireRating
			Compartimentation	Compartimentation
				PitchAngle [deg]

Import Dialog

Also the import of IFC images is better managed.

It is possible to decide which entities are to be imported:

• 1D members
• 2D members
• Reinforcement
• Tendons
• Others

Tendons

• as internal
• as free

Storeys

• Import Storeys as layers

Geometry

• as members
• as reference model

The material table and national code are as in the past

Stefan Belmans

15/5/2013