# Independent Reference Validation Policy Implementation Plan > **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking. **Goal:** Align FESA project policy and the MITC4 upstream contracts with independent black-box Abaqus reference validation and prepare the implementation-planning agent to create approved Harness Steps. **Architecture:** Keep FESA HDF5 as authoritative solver output and retain deterministic source-node/component comparison, while reducing the reference phase to a lightweight inventory of existing `.inp` and required CSV paths. Remove metadata, naming, portfolio, drilling-calibration, and geometry/director-calibration gates from MITC4 without changing reference artifacts or implementing C++. **Tech Stack:** Markdown, TOML agent prompts, project-local Codex `SKILL.md`, PowerShell static validation, Git. ## Global Constraints - Do not modify files under `reference/`. - Do not run Abaqus or another reference solver. - Do not modify C++ source, tests, or CMake. - Preserve HDF5 as authoritative FESA output. - Use the B33 mixed tolerance exactly for MITC4 U; U blocks and UR warns only. - Retain fixed numerical drilling stabilization but exclude calibration and drilling evidence outputs. - Remove `NR-O03` and `NR-O04` from MITC4 implementation readiness. - Implementation Planning may create Harness phase files only after user approval of the Step draft. --- ### Task 1: Align project-wide policy documents **Files:** - Modify: `AGENTS.md` - Modify: `docs/PRD.md` - Modify: `docs/ADR.md` - Modify: `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` - Modify: `docs/SOLVER_AGENT_DESIGN.md` - Modify: `docs/SOLVER_SKILL_DESIGN.md` **Interfaces:** - Consumes: approved design in `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-12-independent-reference-validation-policy-design.md` - Produces: project-wide independent-solver and minimal-reference policy used by every downstream agent - [ ] Replace canonical/legacy/provenance bundle governance with the minimal reference-case contract. - [ ] Separate Abaqus input syntax and external comparison from FESA formulation behavior. - [ ] Record the new decision as a superseding ADR while preserving historical decisions. - [ ] State the MITC4 B33 tolerance reuse and fixed drilling scope without claiming implementation exists. - [ ] Verify changed policy terms with targeted `rg` checks and `git diff --check`. - [ ] Commit with `docs: simplify FESA reference validation policy`. ### Task 2: Align agent and skill workflow contracts **Files:** - Modify: affected `.codex/agents/*.toml` - Modify: affected `.codex/skills/*/SKILL.md` - Modify: affected workflow README templates under `docs/` **Interfaces:** - Consumes: Task 1 project policy - Produces: specialist prompts that no longer recreate removed artifact gates - [ ] Update Requirement, Numerical Review, I/O, Reference Model, Reference Verification, Coordinator, Implementation Planning, Physics, and Release boundaries. - [ ] Require Implementation Planning Agent to invoke `$harness`, produce a self-contained multi-Step draft, request user approval, and only then write `phases/` files. - [ ] Keep actual Harness execution outside the planning agent unless explicitly requested. - [ ] Validate TOML syntax, skill YAML frontmatter, required sections, and prohibited stale terms. - [ ] Forward-test the revised skills with an independent agent prompt. - [ ] Commit with `docs: align FESA agents with minimal reference cases`. ### Task 3: Revise MITC4 requirements and formulation **Files:** - Modify: `docs/requirements/linear-static-mitc4-shell.md` - Modify: `docs/research/linear-static-mitc4-shell-research.md` - Modify: `docs/formulations/mitc4-shell-formulation.md` **Interfaces:** - Consumes: Tasks 1-2 policy and approved fixed drilling rule - Produces: implementation-ready feature scope without removed calibration gates - [ ] Correct the observed S4/S4R reference inventory and adopt the B33 U/UR mixed tolerance. - [ ] Replace drilling candidate/sweep language with the fixed positive rotational-diagonal rule. - [ ] Remove drilling calibration, drilling-energy warning, `NR-O03`, `NR-O04`, and expanded portfolio requirements. - [ ] Preserve the future nonlinear derivation as documentation-only. - [ ] Add a research decision note without rewriting source findings as if they changed. - [ ] Verify requirement IDs and formulation traceability contain no contradictory blocker. - [ ] Commit with `docs: simplify MITC4 verification and drilling scope`. ### Task 4: Revise MITC4 I/O and reference-case inventory **Files:** - Modify: `docs/io-definitions/linear-static-mitc4-shell-io.md` - Create: `docs/reference-models/linear-static-mitc4-shell-reference-models.md` **Interfaces:** - Consumes: Task 3 requirements/formulation - Produces: exact lightweight full-integration S4 input-to-displacement-CSV pairing and HDF5 comparison mapping; S4R non-reference coverage - [ ] Remove canonical/legacy/metadata/provenance/schema-version readiness requirements. - [ ] Remove mandatory drilling stiffness, ratio, and energy output evidence. - [ ] Keep minimal source-node plus U/UR component matching and finite/unique-row checks. - [ ] Inventory only the exact existing `reference/shell` S4 paths as acceptance inputs; keep `reference/shellR` optional and read-only without consuming it. - [ ] Verify no file under `reference/` changed. - [ ] Commit with `docs: define lightweight MITC4 reference cases`. ### Task 5: Rerun MITC4 numerical review under the approved policy **Files:** - Modify: `docs/numerical-reviews/linear-static-mitc4-shell-review.md` **Interfaces:** - Consumes: Tasks 1-4 current source-of-truth documents - Produces: a fresh formulation-only implementation-planning verdict - [ ] Reclassify removed artifact, calibration, `NR-O03`, and `NR-O04` blockers explicitly. - [ ] Review the fixed rotational-diagonal drilling rule for dimensions, symmetry, positivity, and separation from physical recovery. - [ ] Confirm U/UR tolerance and current S4/S4R reference pairing are downstream comparison inputs, not formulation blockers. - [ ] Issue the verdict supported by the remaining confirmed formulation findings only. - [ ] Run Markdown structure, targeted policy consistency, `git diff --check`, and no-reference-mutation checks. - [ ] Commit with `docs: rerun MITC4 numerical review under minimal reference policy`. ### Task 6: Final repository policy verification **Files:** - Verify: all files changed by Tasks 1-5 **Interfaces:** - Consumes: all preceding tasks - Produces: clean, internally consistent documentation and agent/skill configuration evidence - [ ] Run `uv run --with pytest python -m pytest -v -rs` because project-local agent/skill workflow documents changed. - [ ] Parse every changed TOML file and validate every changed skill frontmatter. - [ ] Run repository-wide targeted searches for stale mandatory provenance, canonical, README, drilling sweep, `NR-O03`, and `NR-O04` language in active contracts. - [ ] Run `git diff --check` and inspect `git status --short`. - [ ] Confirm `git diff -- reference` is empty. - [ ] Report any historical documents intentionally left unchanged.