Currently at CJMW, BIM handover is not a required deliverable on all of our Projects, but I want to begin the testing and learning process, so that implementation of workflows resulting in higher quality, data-packed BIM can be in place prior to its demand and expectation. Eventually, it is conceivable that a data-rich BIM deliverable will be required on more of our Projects.
I've begun using a couple of free IFC viewer pieces of software to check our IFC files once exported: Tekla BIMsight and Solibri Model Viewer (the free little brother of Solibri Model Checker, a very robust BIM validation tool). I don't have any formal training in either of them, but I've begun using Solibri Model Viewer more recently. Like ARCHICAD, Solibri is made for both Mac and Windows.
I'll admit, I know enough about IFC to be completely intrigued but not enough to feel confident that I really know what I am doing.
There are a lot of things we model in ARCHICAD that are easy to know which ArchiCAD Element Classification is most applicable. Model a wall in ARCHICAD using the Wall Tool, select the Wall ArchiCAD Element Classification; model a floor slab, select Slab; model a ceiling using the Slab Tool, select Ceiling, etc. But there are a lot of things we model in our ARCHICAD Projects that are a little more difficult to discern when looking to pick from the ArchiCAD Element Classification flyout in the Tags & Categories Panel in an element's Selection Settings. If we model base board or other wall trim, like crown molding, do we know which Element Classification was appropriate? What is the difference between Discrete Accessory and Building Element Proxy? What about Covering?
In an effort to find out more, I began searching online sites like ARCHICAD-Talk and other online ARCHICAD locations, as well as IFC sites like buildingSMART, looking for a definitive list that would help direct me. A list very well may exist out there, but I also figured that some exploration and testing would do me some good as well.
What follows are some preliminary results. First, I set up a bunch of Morphs. Because they are not a Wall and not a Slab, they seemed 'neutral' to me, so they didn't carry any mental baggage that using a bunch of Slabs or Walls would have. I set each Morph to a different ArchiCAD Element Classification: one to ArchiCAD Type, one to Beam, one to Building Element Proxy, etc. to see what those elements would become once exported to IFC.
Here are the results, most of which is perhaps obvious, but all of which I find handy to have in spreadsheet form to which I can refer when I have questions. The columns left to right: each Morph's Element ID, its Element Classification (both exported directly from an ARCHICAD Interactive Schedule), and what that became once the IFC was opened in Solibri. I'll add a column for Tekla BIMsight once I get a chance to open the IFC there as well.
| ID | ArchiCAD Element Classification | in Solibri Model Viewer |
| Mrph01 | ArchiCAD Type | Object |
| Mrph02 | Beam | Beam |
| Mrph03 | Building Element Proxy | Object |
| Mrph04 | Ceiling | Suspended Ceiling |
| Mrph05 | Column | Column |
| Mrph06 | Covering | Covering |
| Mrph07 | Curtain Wall | Curtain Wall |
| Mrph08 | Door | Door |
| Mrph09 | Footing | Footing |
| Mrph10 | Furniture | Furniture |
| Mrph11 | Lamp | Lamp |
| Mrph12 | Light Fixture | Light Fixture |
| Mrph13 | Member | Member |
| Mrph14 | Plate | Plate |
| Mrph15 | Railing | Railing |
| Mrph16 | Ramp | Ramp |
| Mrph17 | Roof | Roof |
| Mrph18 | Site Geometry | Site |
| Mrph19 | Slab | Slab |
| Mrph20 | Stair | Stair |
| Mrph21 | Transport Element | Transport Element |
| Mrph22 | Wall | Wall |
| Mrph23 | Window | Window |
| Mrph24 | Cable Carrier Fitting | Cable Carrier Fitting |
| Mrph25 | Cable Carrier Segment | Cable Carrier |
| Mrph26 | Discrete Accessory | Discrete Accessory |
| Mrph27 | Distribution Chamber Element | Distribution Chamber Element |
| Mrph28 | Distribution Control Element | Distribution Element |
| Mrph29 | Distribution Element | Distribution Element |
| Mrph30 | Distribution Flow Element | Valve |
| Mrph31 | Duct Fitting | Duct Fitting |
| Mrph32 | Duct Flow Terminal | Air Terminal |
| Mrph33 | Duct Segment | Duct |
| Mrph34 | Energy Conversion Device | Transformer |
| Mrph35 | Fastener | Fastener |
| Mrph36 | Flow Controller | Valve |
| Mrph37 | Flow Moving Device | Pump |
| Mrph38 | Flow Storage Device | Tank |
| Mrph39 | Flow Treatment Device | Filter |
| Mrph40 | Mechanical Fastener | Fastener |
| Mrph41 | Pile | Pile |
| Mrph42 | Pipe Fitting | Pipe Fitting |
| Mrph43 | Pipe Flow Terminal | Sanitary Terminal |
| Mrph44 | Pipe Segment | Pipe |
| Mrph45 | Ramp Flight | Ramp |
| Mrph46 | Reinforcing Bar | Reinforcing Bar |
| Mrph47 | Reinforcing Mesh | Reinforcing Mesh |
| Mrph48 | Stair Flight | Stair |
| Mrph49 | Tendon | Tendon |
| Mrph50 | Tendon Anchor | Tendon Anchor |
After that I began to wonder about all of the Objects in an ARCHICAD Library: if an Object is set to ArchiCAD Type, its translation to IFC is driven by its Object Subtype. What do each of the Object Subtypes correspond with once exported to IFC? Again, most of these are going to be pretty obvious, but there are some that I wouldn't have guessed. Did you know that if you leave a Base Cabinet Object set to ArchiCAD Type, it ends up as a Sanitary Terminal (a sink) in IFC? According to the buildingSMART, casework should be an IfcFurnishingElement, so this needs to be corrected at the ARCHICAD Element Classification setting. Confusing? Maybe. Worthy of having a chart for clarification? Yes.
For this test, I created a little cube Object, saved to the Embedded Library, and made a new copy for each Object Subtype and named the Object after the Subtype. I've skipped MEP Subtypes in this first test but will go back and pick those up in a subsequent test. I'll also add columns to this test for the resulting export in Solibri Model Viewer and in Tekla BIMsight when I can get back to this. When I export to IFC, all Objects will be set to ArchiCAD Type so that the Object's Subtype will be the driver behind its translation to IFC. Columns: Object Element ID, Library Part Name, and the resulting IfcType, all exported directly from an ARCHICAD Interactive Schedule.
| ID | Library Part Name | IfcType |
| Obj01 | BRS Model Element | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj02 | BRS Building Element | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj03 | BRS Beam | IfcBeam |
| Obj04 | BRS Spaceframe | IfcBeam |
| Obj05 | BRS Truss | IfcBeam |
| Obj06 | BRS TrussMaker Object | IfcBeam |
| Obj07 | BRS Column | IfcColumn |
| Obj08 | BRS Covering | IfcCovering |
| Obj09 | BRS Accessory | IfcCovering |
| Obj10 | BRS Ceiling Covering | IfcCovering |
| Obj11 | BRS Floor Covering | IfcCovering |
| Obj12 | BRS Roof Covering | IfcCovering |
| Obj13 | BRS Wall Covering | IfcCovering |
| Obj14 | BRS Curtain Wall | IfcCurtainWall |
| Obj15 | BRS Curtain Wall Component | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj16 | BRS Footing | IfcFooting |
| Obj17 | BRS Railing | IfcRailing |
| Obj18 | BRS Ramp | IfcRamp |
| Obj19 | BRS Roof | IfcRoof |
| Obj20 | BRS Slab | IfcSlab |
| Obj21 | BRS Stair | IfcStair |
| Obj22 | BRS Wall | IfcWall |
| Obj23 | BRS Wall End | IfcCovering |
| Obj24 | BRS Element Component | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj25 | BRS Discrete Accessory | IfcDiscreteAccessory |
| Obj26 | BRS Geometric Shape | IfcDiscreteAccessory |
| Obj27 | BRS Roof Component | IfcDiscreteAccessory |
| Obj28 | BRS Gutter 18 | IfcDiscreteAccessory |
| Obj29 | BRS Equipment Element | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj30 | BRS Bathroom Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj31 | BRS Fire Protection Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj32 | BRS Fireplaces | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj33 | BRS Food Service Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj34 | BRS Medical Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj35 | BRS Musical Instrument | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj36 | BRS Residential Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj37 | BRS Sports Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj38 | BRS Theatre and Stage Equipment | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj39 | BRS Furnishing | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj40 | BRS Beds | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj41 | BRS Built In Furniture | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj42 | BRS Electrical Appliance | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj43 | BRS Kitchen Appliance | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj44 | BRS Office | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj45 | BRS Telecommunication | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj46 | BRS Furniture Layout | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj47 | BRS Seating Layout | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj48 | BRS Table Layout | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj49 | BRS Other Furniture | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj50 | BRS Seating | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj51 | BRS Storage | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj52 | BRS Table | IfcFurnishingElement |
| Obj53 | BRS Grid Maker Element | |
| Obj54 | BRS Opening | IfcOpeningElement |
| Obj55 | BRS Mesh Opening | IfcOpeningElement |
| Obj56 | BRS Roof Opening | IfcWindow |
| Obj57 | BRS Dormer | IfcWindow |
| Obj58 | BRS Skylight | IfcWindow |
| Obj59 | BRS Slab Opening | (Missing) |
| Obj60 | BRS Wall Opening | IfcOpeningElement |
| Obj61 | BRS Door (Wall) | IfcDoor |
| Obj62 | BRS Door Opening | IfcDoor |
| Obj63 | BRS Window (Wall) | IfcWindow |
| Obj64 | BRS Window Opening | IfcWindow |
| Obj65 | BRS Site Improvement | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj66 | BRS Animal | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj67 | BRS People | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj68 | BRS Plant | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj69 | BRS Sport Field | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj70 | BRS Street Furniture | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj71 | BRS Traffic | IfcBuildingElementProxy |
| Obj72 | BRS Transport Element | IfcTransportElement |
