The ifcOWL interprets the IFC knowledge schema into the Internet Ontology Language (OWL). Let’s see what’s its construction and its traits

To make the BIM methodology operational and develop a means of programming, design, development and upkeep of a development via the creation of a digital twin, it’s applicable that each one skilled figures always collaborate with one another.

A normal format, a language frequent to all operators, is subsequently wanted to attain interoperability. For this function, a brand new sort of file format was created, permitting the safe trade of knowledge, the IFC (Business Basis Courses). This file format may also be considered and modified via an internet IFC viewer.

Do you know that an IFC file will be encoded in several codecs?

On this article we are going to talk about one among them collectively: theifcOWL.

What’s ifcOWL?

The ifcOWL offers a illustration of the Business Basis Courses (IFC) knowledge schema within the Internet Ontology Language (OWL).

We all know that the IFC, ISO 16739:2013 customary, is a structured knowledge scheme; such knowledge, aggregated based on a specific logic, offers rise to the knowledge itself.

This customary maps, in an goal and non-interpretable means, all of the attainable and knowable entities related to any course of within the development sector: objects, relationships and properties.

The schema is structured based on a descendant logic to which it’s attainable to find out a dad or mum and baby class and all are beneath a single IfcRoot entity class that’s divided into:

1. IfcObjectDefinition;
2. IfcPropertyDefinition;
3. IfcRelationship.

IFC Knowledge Schema Construction

The IFC format was created and developed ranging from the EXPRESSlanguage, the construction of the file is STEP (Commonplace for the Alternate of Product mannequin knowledge), whose benefit, from an IT perspective, lies in the truth that:

• the knowledge is acknowledged by totally different protocols;
• all knowledge will be shared in a three-dimensional mannequin.

Following the principle IFC format, BuildingSMART launched different codecs, based mostly on the encoding of the contained knowledge and with the ifcOWL, it made the EXPRESS knowledge scheme obtainable in a big internet ontology, to be able to:

• assist the semantic internet utility of information interoperability;
• guarantee versatile knowledge trade;
• enable for distributed knowledge administration.

To completely perceive the distinction, let’s see an instance: suppose you will have a BIM info mannequin and suppose you export it first to IFC after which to ifcOWL.

The ifcOWL file and the IFC file will comprise precisely the identical knowledge. What adjustments between the 2 is the syntax, that’s the means through which the info is described and saved. Regarding the ifcOWL, the syntax is linked to the online ontology.

What’s an internet ontology?

An online ontology, in laptop science, is the illustration used to explain the best way through which totally different schemes are mixed in an internet knowledge construction, defining all the precise entities current within the system and their relationships.

To outline an internet ontology it’s crucial to make use of a language: OWL (Internet Ontology Language) is exactly one among these, whose function is to formally describe the which means of the phrases utilized in internet paperwork.

OWL is an extension of the Useful resource Description Framework (RDF), from which it differs. Whereas RDF is a mannequin to symbolize internet sources via an outlined syntax, OWL offers a vocabulary for the lessons, properties, and relationships of RDF sources.

What’s the potential of ifcOWL?

With the usage of ifcOWL it’s attainable to symbolize the knowledge of a development via revolutionary internet applied sciences, permitting to acquire a greater administration and trade of information within the AEC (Structure, Engineering & Building) sector and past.

The OWL expertise permits you to join the IFC schema with different requirements of different domains, linking the constructing knowledge with:

• materials knowledge;
• producer’s knowledge;
• GIS knowledge;
• cityGML knowledge;
• classification schemes;
• social knowledge;
• and so on.

What are different IFC file codecs?

Along with the ifcOWL, the IFC additionally has different file codecs, based mostly on the encoding of the info itself:

• IFC-SPF: is the textual content format within the categorical knowledge modeling language, the place every row represents a single object. It has a “.ifc” extension and is essentially the most used format as a result of it has legible textual content with decreased measurement;
• IFC-XML: format used for interoperability with XML instruments, with the extension “.ifcXLM“. Though XML is the most typical programming language, this format is much less used right here resulting from its very massive measurement in comparison with IFC-SPF;
• IFC-ZIP: is the zip compressed format of the embedded IFC-SPF file, with the extension “.ifcZIP“.

IFC file codecs

If you wish to study extra in regards to the matter and tips on how to shortly and simply create an IFC file, I invite you to learn the article “Learn how to create an IFC file“.

I additionally remind you that to open and edit IFC recordsdata in any encoding, you should use usBIM, the free IFC viewer on-line by ACCA software program, to work on cloud and from any gadget.