This paper presents some current advances and challenges related to the behavior of soil subjected to drying and the consequent formation and propagation of cracks in the soil mass. Typical geotechnical problems associated with the presence of desiccation cracks in soils are also discussed. A new experimental technique based on a 3D laser scanner is presented in detail. The main components of the setup are introduced, as well as the methodology adopted to interpret the data gathered from the scanning of soil samples. The application of this technique to study the drying process of a real soil used as fill embankment in Indonesia is presented. The paper also presents a numerical technique recently developed to model the formation and propagation of drying cracks in soils. The main aspects of the proposed methodology and its applications to the simulation of drying plate experiments are discussed in this contribution. Both, experimental and numerical techniques appear as very appropriate and promising to study the behavior of soils subjected to drying process.