{"id":{"repo_id":"must-thes","oai_identifier":"oai:scholarsmine.mst.edu:doctoral_dissertations-3578"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/must-thes/oai:scholarsmine.mst.edu:doctoral_dissertations-3578","repository":{"repo_id":"must-thes","name":"Missouri University of Science and Technology","base_url":"https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Remote sensing and localization of smart rocks with orientation-controlled magnets for real-time monitoring of bridge scour and riprap effectiveness","abstract":"\"This study aims to develop and implement a novel smart rock technology for real-time monitoring of the maximum scour depth and the effectiveness of riprap mitigation measures. A smart rock is one or more stacked magnets encased in concrete that can automatically roll to the deepest point of a scour hole around a bridge pier and provide its location through remote measurement over time. Once integrated into a riprap measure, the smart rock moves together with natural rocks and is thus a potential indicator of the effectiveness of the riprap measure. Therefore, the localization and movement of smart rocks were investigated and validated at various bridge sites. Specifically, three types of spherical smart rocks designated as Arbitrarily Oriented System (AOS), Automatically Pointing South System (APSS) and Automatically Pointing Upward System (APUS) were deployed. The AOS and APSS were employed to develop and validate the localization algorithm at an open and bridge sites. The APUS was used in smart rock prototyping for field testing and implementation at three bridge sites. It was demonstrated that the effect of steel reinforcement in bridge piers and decks on the orientation of smart rocks was negligible. The localization accuracy with a single smart rock met the general requirements for scour depth measurement in engineering application. The spherical smart rock placed directly on riverbed at Roubidoux Creek successfully demonstrated its movement to the scour hole during the December 27, 2015, flood. The smart rocks deployed at Waddell Creek and at Gasconade River, however, were washed away. Thus, additional smart rocks were deployed by making their top in flush with the riverbed for future monitoring. Additionally, spherical smart rocks are not stable for riprap effectiveness monitoring and polyhedral shapes are recommended for future study\"--Abstract, page iii.","abstract_html":""This study aims to develop and implement a novel smart rock technology for real-time monitoring of the maximum scour depth and the effectiveness of riprap mitigation measures. A smart rock is one or more stacked magnets encased in concrete that can automatically roll to the deepest point of a scour hole around a bridge pier and provide its location through remote measurement over time. Once integrated into a riprap measure, the smart rock moves together with natural rocks and is thus a potential indicator of the effectiveness of the riprap measure. Therefore, the localization and movement of smart rocks were investigated and validated at various bridge sites. Specifically, three types of spherical smart rocks designated as Arbitrarily Oriented System (AOS), Automatically Pointing South System (APSS) and Automatically Pointing Upward System (APUS) were deployed. The AOS and APSS were employed to develop and validate the localization algorithm at an open and bridge sites. The APUS was used in smart rock prototyping for field testing and implementation at three bridge sites. It was demonstrated that the effect of steel reinforcement in bridge piers and decks on the orientation of smart rocks was negligible. The localization accuracy with a single smart rock met the general requirements for scour depth measurement in engineering application. The spherical smart rock placed directly on riverbed at Roubidoux Creek successfully demonstrated its movement to the scour hole during the December 27, 2015, flood. The smart rocks deployed at Waddell Creek and at Gasconade River, however, were washed away. Thus, additional smart rocks were deployed by making their top in flush with the riverbed for future monitoring. Additionally, spherical smart rocks are not stable for riprap effectiveness monitoring and polyhedral shapes are recommended for future study"--Abstract, page iii.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tang, Yan"],"institution":"Missouri University of Science and Technology","degree_name":"Ph. D. in Civil Engineering","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":null,"date_issued":"","date_published":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:18:34Z","subjects":["Civil Engineering"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/2573","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tang, Yan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph. D. in Civil Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Missouri University of Science and Technology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Civil Engineering"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/2573"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["\"This study aims to develop and implement a novel smart rock technology for real-time monitoring of the maximum scour depth and the effectiveness of riprap mitigation measures. A smart rock is one or more stacked magnets encased in concrete that can automatically roll to the deepest point of a scour hole around a bridge pier and provide its location through remote measurement over time. Once integrated into a riprap measure, the smart rock moves together with natural rocks and is thus a potential indicator of the effectiveness of the riprap measure. Therefore, the localization and movement of smart rocks were investigated and validated at various bridge sites. Specifically, three types of spherical smart rocks designated as Arbitrarily Oriented System (AOS), Automatically Pointing South System (APSS) and Automatically Pointing Upward System (APUS) were deployed. The AOS and APSS were employed to develop and validate the localization algorithm at an open and bridge sites. The APUS was used in smart rock prototyping for field testing and implementation at three bridge sites. It was demonstrated that the effect of steel reinforcement in bridge piers and decks on the orientation of smart rocks was negligible. The localization accuracy with a single smart rock met the general requirements for scour depth measurement in engineering application. The spherical smart rock placed directly on riverbed at Roubidoux Creek successfully demonstrated its movement to the scour hole during the December 27, 2015, flood. The smart rocks deployed at Waddell Creek and at Gasconade River, however, were washed away. Thus, additional smart rocks were deployed by making their top in flush with the riverbed for future monitoring. Additionally, spherical smart rocks are not stable for riprap effectiveness monitoring and polyhedral shapes are recommended for future study\"--Abstract, page iii."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Remote sensing and localization of smart rocks with orientation-controlled magnets for real-time monitoring of bridge scour and riprap effectiveness"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Tang, Yan"],"dc:description.abstract":["\"This study aims to develop and implement a novel smart rock technology for real-time monitoring of the maximum scour depth and the effectiveness of riprap mitigation measures. A smart rock is one or more stacked magnets encased in concrete that can automatically roll to the deepest point of a scour hole around a bridge pier and provide its location through remote measurement over time. Once integrated into a riprap measure, the smart rock moves together with natural rocks and is thus a potential indicator of the effectiveness of the riprap measure. Therefore, the localization and movement of smart rocks were investigated and validated at various bridge sites. Specifically, three types of spherical smart rocks designated as Arbitrarily Oriented System (AOS), Automatically Pointing South System (APSS) and Automatically Pointing Upward System (APUS) were deployed. The AOS and APSS were employed to develop and validate the localization algorithm at an open and bridge sites. The APUS was used in smart rock prototyping for field testing and implementation at three bridge sites. It was demonstrated that the effect of steel reinforcement in bridge piers and decks on the orientation of smart rocks was negligible. The localization accuracy with a single smart rock met the general requirements for scour depth measurement in engineering application. The spherical smart rock placed directly on riverbed at Roubidoux Creek successfully demonstrated its movement to the scour hole during the December 27, 2015, flood. The smart rocks deployed at Waddell Creek and at Gasconade River, however, were washed away. Thus, additional smart rocks were deployed by making their top in flush with the riverbed for future monitoring. Additionally, spherical smart rocks are not stable for riprap effectiveness monitoring and polyhedral shapes are recommended for future study\"--Abstract, page iii."],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/2573"],"dc:subject":["Civil Engineering"],"dc:title":["Remote sensing and localization of smart rocks with orientation-controlled magnets for real-time monitoring of bridge scour and riprap effectiveness"],"dc:type":["Dissertation - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph. D. in Civil Engineering"],"thesis:institution_name":["Missouri University of Science and Technology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:18:34Z"}