Osmotic phenomena refer to water and solute transport processes that occur when transport of solute molecules or ions is restricted by the porous medium relative to that of water molecules. Chemical osmosis and reverse osmosis/ultrafiltration are osmotic phenomena. The studies of “coupled flow” caused by chemical osmosis have been widely applied in many fields, such as earth science, environmental science and civil engineering. This paper provided a review of the considerable advances in the field of chemical osmosis and clay semipermeable membrane since the 1950s. We summarized the research progress of chemical osmosis in clayey sediments into three aspects: theoretical basis, experimental research and numerical model. In particular, the laboratory equipment and measurement methods of the chemico-osmotic efficiency coefficient σ were described,. The existing discontinuous models based on the ‘diffusive double layer’ theory were summerized, as well as the various control factors of σ. It increases with Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), compaction pressure and decreases by the increasing of porosity and solution concentration. This paper also summerized the contimuum models based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics, which are used to explain and predict anomalies of hydraulic head pressure and salinity in clayey environments. For the future development of this discipline, it is critical to find a reliable method to confirm the σ value. It is also critical to emphasize the research on chemical osmosis in complex conditions and the influence of chemical osmosis on groundwater flow and solute transpotation. China has just stepped into this research area and more efforts should be made if significant progress is desired. This review will be helpful to further research on groundwater numerical simulation integrated with chemical osmosis in China.