CONSULT-BIM (by BCCV)
5 - Materials
Everything in the built environment is made from a physical raw Material resources. For example, a Material might be a 140mm core filled block. Another Material might be a 190mm hollowcore block. Materials are grouped into categories like steel, concrete, brick, block, and so on.
We can see a list of Materials used in the project in the IFC Materials subpanel in the Scene Properties tab.
Press the Select Icon to select all objects that are of the selected material.
But what are materials used for besides selection? They play a pivotal role in the construction industry for various purposes. Here's why materials are significant:
Material information can be used for different purposes: These include life cycle analysis, energy simulations, parametric design, procurement planning, and many other applications that facilitate project development and analysis.
Materials in BlenderBIM can be assigned to elements or element types directly. You can also assign materials to:
These are used for elements like walls and include layers of materials. For example, if a wall is made up of different materials with specific thicknesses, material layer sets provide the framework for these layered compositions.
Designed for components like beams and columns, they specify the materials used and their profile. This is especially important in structural components where the composition of materials and their cross-sectional profiles is crucial.
These sets are associated with elements like windows, indicating the materials that constitute the component. It specifies what makes up the object, such as the frame and glass in a window.
Now, let's dive into a few examples to better understand materials:
Take an IfcDoor, for instance. It's made of wood material directly assigned to its type. This demonstrates that materials can be directly assigned to elements or element types to indicate the primary material used.
Some components have material layer sets, like slabs. These sets dictate the layers of materials used in a particular element, specifying the composition of the slab.
Material Profile Sets are seen in structural components like columns or beams. They define the materials and their profiles, which are essential in structural engineering and analysis.
Material Constituent Sets are used for objects like windows, outlining the materials they consist of. This helps identify the different components of a complex object.
