Waves Propagating over a Bar with and Without a Collinear Current – a Case Study in Sharing Data

Laboratory tests of waves propagating over a bar profile, with and without collinear currents, have been undertaken in the Fast Flow Facility at HR Wallingford. Surface elevations were measured at points along the flume, while velocities were measured at a single location. The data package from the tests is being made freely available from the HYDRALAB community area of the open-access repository Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/). This data package was subsequently picked up by modellers who were not involved in the physical experiment and used to provide the input data for simulations of the tests using the phase-resolving wave model, Funwave.

The experiments therefore had three main purposes:
1) To provide an open-access dataset of wave propagation for numerical modellers to use;
2) To test the HYDRALAB procedures for planning, preparing and posting a dataset to an open-access repository – see https://hydralab.eu/taking-part/free-data/ for details;
3) To further validate the Funwave model for cases with a collinear current.

Research funders are increasingly requiring that data collected during a project is made freely available through an open access repository. Such a dataset is only useful if it can be picked up and used by an independent researcher. Therefore, these datasets should:
- use a well-understood data format that is appropriate for the data structure and size;
- be accompanied by adequate meta-data – at least the 15 elements of the Dublin Core;
- use sensible parameter names, preferably from an established vocabulary;
- include an open license, so people know they can use the data;
- come with a persistent identifier, such as a digital object identifier, or DOI.

This paper describes the experiment undertaken, how the data was packaged and posted onto Zenodo and how it was subsequently picked up and used.