I also do not understand relational segments.
Here is a link to a test page in OpenACS which uses a rel_segment:
rel-segments-test.sql
A relational segment creates a subgroup where all members have the same rel_type to the original parent group. 
Example from the above:
 -- the segment of all parties that are blah members of G
 seg_G_blahs := rel_segment__new(null,
   ''rel_segment'',
   now(),
   null,
   null,
   null,
   null,                                  
   ''Blahs of Group G'',
   G, 
   ''blah_member_rel'',
   null
);