Payload Project Protocol

The NHERI Coastal Wave/Surge and Tsunami Experimental Facility is open to payload tests where independent secondary experiments can be completed within the context of a larger primary experiment. The NHERI CWST-EF will facilitate payload projects by supporting collaboration and interaction between the multiple parties involved. A list of NSF-sponsored projects and the upcoming test schedule at the NHERI CWST-EF are listed online by the Network Coordination Office (NCO).

The following guidelines are provided to researchers interested in submitting a payload project proposal to an existing research project ongoing or scheduled at the NHERI CWST-EF:

  1. Primary project PIs share details of their experiment with the NCO for posting on the NHERI website so that the community is informed of opportunities for payload projects.
  2. All previous, current and planned projects scheduled at the NHERI CWST-EF are listed at https://oregonstate.designsafe-ci.org.
  3. Interested payload researchers should review the posted information for the ongoing/new project scope, schedule, and additional relevant data to determine feasibility of proposing a payload project.
  4. If additional project detail is required, payload researchers are encouraged to contact project PI directly to foster collaboration towards the project.
  5. Payload researcher must gain approval of existing project PI to payload onto the existing project. PI and payload researcher are both required to inform the NHERI CWST-EF PIs of such approval and subsequent scope and available technical details of the proposed payload project to gain NHERI EF approval for reasons of technical feasibility and safety. Technical details should include the following:
    1. Scope of work
    2. Testing plan
    3. Schedule
    4. Required Equipment and Other Resources
    5. Instrumentation Plan
    6. Data Management Plan
    7. Payload demolition and/or removal plan
    NHERI CWST-EF reserves the right to decline the payload project if prior approval is not provided by project PI and communicated to the NHERI CWST-EF PIs.
  6. Funding source for payload project needs to be identified (to determine if funding is NSF or non-NSF funded) and communicated to the NHERI CWST-EF PIs in order to assess payload project budget impact on NHERI CWST-EF Operations and Maintenance budget.
    • For budget planning, payload researcher is referred to the NHERI CWST-EF website at https://oregonstate.designsafe-ci.org under Resources in order to access key budget development information for operational services and equipment provided by NHERI CWST-EF.
    • Payload researcher also needs to identify additional budget requirements that are necessary to achieve payload project deliverables through communication with primary project PI.
  7. Once a payload project is awarded funding, a Research Participation Agreement, or similar agreement, will need to be developed between all parties involved, including primary project PI, payload project PI, and the NHERI CWST-EF, under the coordination of the NCO, prior to any effort towards the payload project.
  8. The Research Participation Agreement, or similar agreement, will include, but not be limited to:
    1. Identification of parties
    2. Scope of Work and Testing Plan
    3. Schedule with Milestones
    4. Budget
    5. Responsibility of Costs
    6. Intellectual Property Terms and Conditions
    7. Data Management Plan
    8. Risk Management Plan
  9. The payload project schedule will be developed by the NHERI CWST-EF in conjunction with the overall NCO scheduling function and the primary project schedule.