Stockpile shapes are commonly approximated as cones (round piles), wedges (long ridge piles), or irregular shapes (real-world piles). Cone volume = π × r² × h / 3; wedge volume ≈ length × width × average height. For irregular piles, surface-based measurement from drone imagery or surveyed point cloud is the accurate approach.
Stockpile volume is measured as-piled — loose volume, already swelled from its bank state. Don't apply a swell factor to the stockpile measurement; the bank-to-loose conversion happened when the soil was originally excavated.
Common stockpile types: stripped topsoil (for re-spreading), excavated structural soil (for hauling or import-fill use), aggregate (delivered for paving), and stripped material headed for landfill. Each type has its own unit cost; track them separately in the bid.