IfcRelSequence

Natural language names
deAbfolgebeziehung zwischen Prozessen - Relation
enRel Sequence
Change log
ItemSPFXMLChangeDescription
IFC2x3 to IFC4
    IfcRelSequenceMOVEDSchema changed from IFCKERNEL to IFCPROCESSEXTENSION.
      OwnerHistoryMODIFIEDInstantiation changed to OPTIONAL.
      TimeLagXXMODIFIEDType changed from IfcTimeMeasure to IfcLagTime.
Instantiation changed to OPTIONAL.
      SequenceTypeMODIFIEDInstantiation changed to OPTIONAL.
      UserDefinedSequenceTypeADDED
Semantic definitions at the entity
Entity definition

IfcRelSequence is a sequential relationship between processes where one process must occur before the other in time and where the timing of the relationship may be described as a type of sequence. The relating process (IfcRelSequence.RelatingProcess) is considered to be the predecessor in the relationship (has precedence) whilst the related process (IfcRelSequence.RelatedProcess) is the successor.

IfcRelSequence is defined as one-to-one relationship; therefore it assigns one predecessor to one successor.

HISTORY  New entity in IFC1.0.
IFC4 CHANGE  Relocated to IfcProcessExtension schema. TimeLag and SequenceType made optional. USERDEFINED added to the IfcSequenceType enumeration. UserDefinedSequenceType attribute added. WHERE rule controlling use of the USERDEFINED enumeration added.

Use definitions

IfcRelSequence is used to describe the logical sequence relationship that exists between two processes. This logical relationship identifies that there is a predecessor or relating process and a successor or related process. In IFC, there may be one predecessor and one successor in the relationship. Many occurrences of IfcRelSequence may exist to describe the sequence relationships of a predecessor task with many successor tasks or of many predecessor tasks with one successor task, thus enabling a m:n sequence relationship between tasks. Please note that sequence relationships can be used to define dependencies between process occurrences but also between process types (for further information see IfcRelDefinesByObject and IfcTaskType). In case of defining dependencies between process occurrences sequence relationships should stay within the limits of a directed, non-cyclic graph.

A sequence type may be set for a sequence. For tasks assigned to a work schedule, it is expected that the sequence type will be asserted. For a process map, where the sequence relationship between processes is simply a logical flow, it need not be asserted.

A time lag may be assigned to a sequence, and the sequence type defines the way in which the time lag applies to the sequence either as a ratio or percentage of time duration (e.g. start successor task when predecessor is 50% complete) or as a time measure (e.g. start successor task 1 week after commencement of the predecessor task). Care should be used when assigning a time lag to a sequence depending on the setting of the sequence type since there is no checking that the time lag value is in keeping with the sequence type set.

Attribute definitions
#AttributeTypeCardinalityDescription C
5RelatingProcessIfcProcess[1:1] Reference to the process, that is the predecessor. X
6RelatedProcessIfcProcess[1:1] Reference to the process, that is the successor. X
7TimeLagIfcLagTime[0:1] Time duration of the sequence, it is the time lag between the predecessor and the successor as specified by the SequenceType. X
8SequenceTypeIfcSequenceEnum[0:1] The way in which the time lag applies to the sequence. X
9UserDefinedSequenceTypeIfcLabel[0:1] Allows for specification of user defined type of the sequence beyond the enumeration values (START_START, START_FINISH, FINISH_START, FINISH_FINISH) provided by SequenceType attribute of type IfcSequenceEnum. When a value is provided for attribute UserDefinedSequenceType in parallel the attribute SequenceType shall have enumeration value USERDEFINED. X
Formal Propositions
RuleDescription
AvoidInconsistentSequenceThe RelatingProcess shall not point to the same instance as the RelatedProcess.
CorrectSequenceTypeThe attribute UserDefinedSequenceType must be asserted when the value of SequenceType is set to USERDEFINED.
Inherited definitions from supertypes
Entity inheritance IfcRelConnects IfcRelationship IfcRoot
Attribute inheritance
#AttributeTypeCardinalityDescriptionC
IfcRoot
1GlobalIdIfcGloballyUniqueId[1:1] Assignment of a globally unique identifier within the entire software world. X
2OwnerHistoryIfcOwnerHistory[0:1] Assignment of the information about the current ownership of that object, including owning actor, application, local identification and information captured about the recent changes of the object,
NOTE  only the last modification in stored - either as addition, deletion or modification.
X
3NameIfcLabel[0:1] Optional name for use by the participating software systems or users. For some subtypes of IfcRoot the insertion of the Name attribute may be required. This would be enforced by a where rule. X
4DescriptionIfcText[0:1] Optional description, provided for exchanging informative comments.X
IfcRelationship
IfcRelConnects
IfcRelSequence
5RelatingProcessIfcProcess[1:1] Reference to the process, that is the predecessor. X
6RelatedProcessIfcProcess[1:1] Reference to the process, that is the successor. X
7TimeLagIfcLagTime[0:1] Time duration of the sequence, it is the time lag between the predecessor and the successor as specified by the SequenceType. X
8SequenceTypeIfcSequenceEnum[0:1] The way in which the time lag applies to the sequence. X
9UserDefinedSequenceTypeIfcLabel[0:1] Allows for specification of user defined type of the sequence beyond the enumeration values (START_START, START_FINISH, FINISH_START, FINISH_FINISH) provided by SequenceType attribute of type IfcSequenceEnum. When a value is provided for attribute UserDefinedSequenceType in parallel the attribute SequenceType shall have enumeration value USERDEFINED. X
Definitions applying to Common Use Definitions

Concept inheritance

#ConceptModel View
IfcRoot
Software IdentityCommon Use Definitions
Revision ControlCommon Use Definitions
Formal representations
XSD Specification
 <xs:element name="IfcRelSequence" type="ifc:IfcRelSequence" substitutionGroup="ifc:IfcRelConnects" nillable="true"/>
 <xs:complexType name="IfcRelSequence">
  <xs:complexContent>
   <xs:extension base="ifc:IfcRelConnects">
    <xs:sequence>
     <xs:element name="RelatingProcess" type="ifc:IfcProcess" nillable="true"/>
     <xs:element name="RelatedProcess" type="ifc:IfcProcess" nillable="true"/>
     <xs:element name="TimeLag" type="ifc:IfcLagTime" nillable="true" minOccurs="0"/>
    </xs:sequence>
    <xs:attribute name="SequenceType" type="ifc:IfcSequenceEnum" use="optional"/>
    <xs:attribute name="UserDefinedSequenceType" type="ifc:IfcLabel" use="optional"/>
   </xs:extension>
  </xs:complexContent>
 </xs:complexType>
EXPRESS Specification
ENTITY IfcRelSequence
 SUBTYPE OF (IfcRelConnects);
  RelatingProcess : IfcProcess;
  RelatedProcess : IfcProcess;
  TimeLag : OPTIONAL IfcLagTime;
  SequenceType : OPTIONAL IfcSequenceEnum;
  UserDefinedSequenceType : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
 WHERE
  AvoidInconsistentSequence : RelatingProcess :<>: RelatedProcess;
  CorrectSequenceType : (SequenceType <> IfcSequenceEnum.USERDEFINED) OR ((SequenceType = IfcSequenceEnum.USERDEFINED) AND EXISTS(UserDefinedSequenceType));
END_ENTITY;

Link to EXPRESS-G diagram EXPRESS-G diagram

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