Effect on Engineering Projects

• The thermal conductivity of soil is greatly influenced by external factors such as moisture and temperature. Different types of soil also have different measures of thermal conductivity, with sand having the lowest and clay the highest. Engineers and builders must have at least a cursory knowledge of geothermal energy before attempting to install subterranean utility cables and pipes.
  
  

Heating and Cooling

• The earthen soil is an exceptional insulator of thermal energy. The ground has a much higher heat capacity than the air above it. Therefore, the soil's thermal conductivity can be applied to heating and cooling buildings. During summer months, the soil is cooler than the air around it and draws the heat into a natural thermal sink.
  
  

Effect on Soil Moisture

• A 2008 publication by NASA's Astrophysics Data System reports on the effect moisture has on the thermal conductivity of soil. According to the experiment's findings, thermal conductivity is at its peak when the soil is fully saturated with ground water. Dry conditions show an increase in thermal conductivity as well, but only within a narrow range of soil types.