NEES Training Typical Experiment Process

1
NEES TrainingTypical Experiment Process

• Tim Maddux, Research Associate
• O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory
• Oregon State University
• NEES Training and Tsunami Modeling Workshop

2
Introduction

• HWRL available for NEES shared use projects
• Mostly NSF-funded NEES research projects
• Individual investigator
• Small group
• Grand challenge
• Payload
• Example project CROSSTEX
• Walkthrough of experiment or project process from
  proposal to data release

3
Our example CROSSTEX

• What is CROSSTEX?
• Cross-Shore Sediment Transport Experiment
• Funded by NSF, ONR, Oregon SeaGrant
• Proposals submitted by 3 groups
• 11 principal investigators
• 7 institutions
• Approved as a NEES shared use project
• Project phases
• 2002-2003 Planning, proposal writing
• 2004 Proposal acceptance, preparation,
  development
• 2005 Experiments
• 2006-2007 Analysis and model development
• 2008 Data sharing and public availability

4
The O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory (HWRL)
5
Collaborative projects

• Large scale facilities at HWRL
• Tsunami Wave Basin
• Large Wave Flume
• Large scale ? high fixed costs
• Construction
• Deployment
• Testing time
• Advantages of small group over individual
  investigator
• Mitigate costs with collaborative design
• Variety of experiments with same overall basin
  configuration

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Collaborative projects

• Example CROSSTEX
• Need for laboratory study
• Simplification
• Control
• Need for large scale
• Realistic turbulence
• Realistic sediment response
• Wide range of interesting scales
• Turbulent events and sand grains
• Wave climate and sand bars
• Plan at proposal stage for experimental
  observations by independent sub-groups
• Four areas of focus
• Wave bottom boundary layers and ripples
• Surf zone turbulence and sediment suspension
• Sandbar migration
• Swash zone dynamics

7
Safety

• Weekly safety reviews
• Policies in place for
• Heavy equipment operations
• Cranes
• Forklifts
• Other custom equipment
• Confined spaces
• Overhead hazards
• Falling hazards
• Diving / SCUBA certification
• Driving University vehicles
• Protective gear
• Head, eyes, ears, hands, lungs
• Safety / metrology supplement

8
Experimental design

• Communication
• Access to HWRL expertise
• Listserv
• Site specifications database
• Plan
• Model design and setup
• Instrumentation deployment
• Instrumentation recovery
• Materials and supplies
• Outside instrumentation
• Considerations
• Development
• Lead time
• Outside contractors
• Quotes and estimates

9
Experimental design

• Example CROSSTEX
• Planning meetings
• 2004 Ocean Sciences, Portland
• 2005 AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco
• Outside instrumentation
• Deployment discussions and plans over 6 months
  before arrival
• Physical deployment
• Compatibility with existing gear
• Synchronization of equipment
• In-house instrumentation
• Reusable deployments where possible to save setup
  time

10
Logistics

• Plan early (months ahead) for
• Housing
• Deliveries
• Equipment
• Instruments
• Exceptionally large items
• (again safety is an issue)
• Climate-controlled space
• Lab floor space
• Network connectivity

11
Running waves

• Expect about 1 run / hr for scientific research
  projects
• 6-8 runs / day, depending on specifics of each
  project
• Example CROSSTEX
• Independent control of wavemaker by each group
• Control periods lasting from 1 week to 1 month
• Changeover time 1 week
• Groups not in control often still participating
  and gathering data

12
Data archival and sharing

• Before data acquisition
• Initialization of project in data archive
• Setup of experiments
• Tentative plan for trials
• Make full use of available tags to populate data
  headers
• After data acquisition
• Immediate access to data for principal
  researchers
• Transfer of run-time notes into project
  metadata
• Checking and post-processing of raw data and
  uploading of intermediate and final data sets
• Long term access to data for community
• Example CROSSTEX
• Data release after 2 years to public

13
Payload projects

• Projects of opportunity
• Additional chances to take advantage of existing
  setup already paid for by collaborative group
• Example CROSSTEX
• Experimental phase complete Fall 2005
• Add-on study of dune erosion and overtopping
• Oregon Sea Grant
• USACE
• USGS
• Complementary to main phase of CROSSTEX
• New observations onshore of the surf zone
• New techniques using stereo video