The cross section method of calculating the volume of material to be excavated from a site is used when the shape of the excavated area is _____.

The cross section method of calculating the volume of material to be excavated is particularly effective when working with areas that have an irregular shape. This technique involves taking multiple cross-sectional measurements at designated intervals across the site, allowing for a more accurate representation of varying dimensions and contours.

In cases where the excavated area has a regular shape, such as a rectangular or a triangular area, simpler volume calculations using basic geometric formulas are often sufficient. For example, the volume of a rectangular excavation can be determined by multiplying the length, width, and depth, without the need for more complex calculations that involve multiple cross sections.

The cross section method is specifically designed to accommodate the complexities of irregular shapes, where dimensions may change significantly over the excavation site. As such, using this method for simple shapes is unnecessary, making it ideal for more complicated terrains where standard calculations would fall short in providing accurate volume estimates.