ABSTRACT
Goa is a small state with an area of 3702 km2 located about 1,022 m above the mean sea level. The geology of Goa consists of the Indian Precambrian shield of green schist supracrustal rocks lying over the trondhjemitic gneiss and the late Cretaceous Deccan Traps in some areas with lateritic cover. Lateritic soils and rocks are observed in the upper crust of Goa, which is formed due to lateritisation of parent rock due to agencies like rain and hot weather and are soft in nature. These soils and rocks are used as construction materials in Goa. Rocks are soft, porous and concretionary in structure. Open cuts made in these soils and rocks are often prone to landslides due to the weathering action of rains and the Sun. In the southern parts of Goa, mostly loose to medium silts and sands are observed. This chapter covers the geology of Goa, typical borehole logs and important geotechnical properties of the soils and rocks found at various places in the state. Also, the importance of available soils and rocks as construction materials and important geotechnical structures in the state are highlighted.
