1.

1 GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION

This section focuses on the Geological and Geotechnical studies of the project area and is reliant on the
geological and soil maps of Mauritius.

As part of the design study, an assessment of the geological and geotechnical characteristics of the
ground is of prime importance for the design of the road pavement structure, formation of the
embankments and different types of structures.

For detailed design prior to construction, a full geotechnical investigation is actually being conducted but
the results are not yet available. Therefore, at this stage, the interpretation of the sub-surface
characteristics of the site was based on previous geotechnical investigations carried out in the vicinity of
the project area.

1.1.1 STUDY OF AVAILABLE GEOLOGICAL AND SOIL DATA

The study of geological formations and soil types along the alignment is based on the available
geological and soil maps of Mauritius.

1.1.1.1 General Geological Nature of Mauritius

The island of Mauritius is of volcanic origin and formed by several series of basaltic rock of volcanic
activities. Intermediate and more recent series of volcanic eruptions from several small emissions of
volcanic rock distributed over the whole island cover the ancient central volcanic plateau and the deeply
eroded valleys heading to the sea. Most of the island is now covered with intermediate and late flows
which have in general a gentle dipping towards the sea from the interior of the island. Isolated remnants
of the initial ancient series occur in the highest peak of the island.

The lava flows consist of a sequence of massive basalt strata with vacuolar (vesicular) strata and volcanic
breccias on top. Volcanic tuff layers occur in between the lava flows. The prevailing rock is fine grained,
dark to light grey, hard to very hard basalt often with intrusions of variable chemical composition. The
vacuolar strata have sometimes vesicles which are filled with calcite, zeolite or aragonite.

Overburdens are in-situ residual soils or colluviums i.e. transported hill wash of completely weathered
basaltic rock. Alluvial deposits which can be found rarely along some rivers are particularly sand and
gravel of eroded and transported basaltic fractures. Occasionally alluvial clayey soil is to be found in
some river valleys.
1.1.1.2 Geological Formations at Project Area

The project area has been superimposed on the geological map of Mauritius in Figure 2-1.

The Geological map of Mauritius indicates that the site is underlain by weathered/altered basaltic and
pyroclastic flows and fresh basaltic flows of the Intermediate Series.