Engineering properties of rocks and soils of the Maltese Islands

Abstract

Slnce the inhabitants of these islands started to provide for their own shelter, buildings have been continuously erected, from the traditional "Girna" to large structures. The rocks form the base on which we build and supply the traditional building material. Moreover, the historiography provides particularly favorable conditions for the percolation and underground storage of rainwater. Undoubtedly, were it not for these conditions, no habitation would have been possible. However, a lack of knowledge regarding the rocks and soils of these islands still prevails.