Mount Rushmore Rock Block Monitoring System
Maintaining and operating the Rock Block Monitoring System at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial—one of the most iconic landmarks in the US.



Designed and installed by RESPEC in 1998 and 1999, the Rock Block Monitoring System (RBMS) measures the relative movements of four distinct rock blocks and temperatures at 27 discreet locations of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
In 2010, RESPEC designed a new, more robust monitoring system that requires less maintenance and is more resistant to lightning and environmental damage. The new RBMS, which uses fiber optics, was installed by RESPEC and the National Park Service Ropes Team.
The new system eliminated approximately 8,000 feet of solid-conductor cable with nonelectrical conductive glass fiber. RBMS maintenance includes performing calibration checks and replacing and/or repairing nonfunctional equipment. RESPEC documents the operation, maintenance, and data collected at Mount Rushmore in an annual report submitted to the National Park Service.
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