Abstract: Coral reef is a special type of rock and soil. Coral reef engineering geology is a new sesearch field of engineering geology. It studies the phisical and mechanical characteristics of reef limestone and reef sand soil, avaluates the engineering geological conditions of caral reef and the influence of engineering projects on the environment of coral reef,and also provides scientific base for correct planing and rational design of engineering projects in coral reef zone. This paper presents a brief history of the coral reef engineering construction and the development engineering geology research in coral reef area since the late stage of the Second World War, and proposes the needs to strengthen the study of research field in our country.