ABSTRACT
Meghalaya is one of the eight states of the northeastern region of India. The soils in the state are generally loamy, red in colour and fine-textured, ranging from loam to silty loam. In the northern part of the state from west to east, laterite is available while the northern, western and southern fringes of the state are covered with alluvial soils. The state comprises five different geological formations consisting mostly of gneisses, quartzites, phyllites, schists, conglomerates, lower Gondwana rocks, Sylhet traps and Cretaceous tertiary sediments. This chapter presents the geotechnical properties with the help of borehole data from the typical sites and the details of various construction materials and other geomaterials available. The natural hazards that occur in the state, including earthquakes and landslides/erosion, are detailed with a description of two case studies and the related ground surveys and field tests. The effects of environmental factors on soils and rocks of this region are discussed, and the highlights of the key points about the soils and rocks are also presented.
