Abstract: In recent years, with the rapid growth of economy and energy consumptions, the development and utilization of underground space and geothermal energy have attracted a wide attention of researchers worldwide. The thermal properties of rock and soil play a vital role in these studies. Specifically, the thermal properties of soils include thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity. As one of the most important parameters of thermal properties, the thermal conductivity not only determines the heat transfer in soil, but also affects the distribution of temperature and humidity fields. According to the research status at home and abroad, the practical significance of studying thermal conductivity of soil is introduced, the heat transfer mode in soil is investigated, the main factors affecting thermal conductivity of soil are summarized, and the research direction and development trend of thermal conductivity of soil are put forward.

Key words: Soil Thermal Conductivity, Impact Factors, State of the Art Research, Review