Tennessee Specific Surveying (TS) Practice Exam

Elevation control on a project relies on a fixed reference framework. An on-site bench mark provides a known elevation when tied to a datum, giving all other elevations a stable reference to measure against. In practice you may use a published datum (like NAVD88) or establish a temporary, assumed datum specifically for the job; either way the bench mark is defined in relation to a datum. That makes this option the best because it captures both possibilities and emphasizes the necessity of a defined reference frame. A local reference point alone doesn’t imply a fixed vertical standard, and the project budget has no bearing on the vertical control.