Managed　aquifer　recharge　is　an　efficient　approach　using　surface　water　for　groundwater　recharge.　However,　soil　clogging　in　the　infiltration　systems　represents　a　critical　problem　that　reduces　the　efficiency　of　recharge　systems.　In　recent　years,　much　research　has　been　conducted　to　investigate　clogging　in　subsurface　and　surface　soil　(cake).　Cake　prevents　infiltration　into　the　water　table　and　can　drastically　reduce　the　recharge　rate.　In　arid　and　semi-arid　areas,　alternation　of　humid　and　dry　seasons　has　an　effect　on　cake　cracking.　In　the　present　research,　the　propagation　of　desiccation　cracking　and　self-healing　of　unconsolidated　soil　(cake),　placed　in　Plexiglas　columns,　was　investigated　using　X-ray　computed　tomography　(CT)　during　drying-wetting　(D-W)　paths.　The　results　showed　that　during　the　drying　path,　cracks　initiated　at　the　base　of　the　soil　by　friction　with　the　bottom　of　the　column　and　then　propagated　to　the　top　surface　of　the　cake.　As　the　drying　time　increased,　evaporation　at　the　top　surface　led　to　more　cracks　growing　from　the　surface　than　from　the　bottom　of　the　cake.　However,　the　cracks　at　the　bottom　tended　to　stabilize　because　the　water　content　was　greater　than　at　the　top　surface.　The　initiation,　propagation,　and　expansion　of　the　cracks　developed　in　the　saturated　condition　of　the　cake.　During　the　wetting　path,　some　cracks　were　closed　while　others　appeared.　The　cracks　tended　to　close　progressively　with　wetting　time,　highlighting　the　self-healing　phenomenon,　probably　due　to　the　high　plasticity　index　of　cake　soil.　The　results　showed　that　cake　swelling　is　mainly　related　to　an　increase　of　the　void　ratio　due　to　a　decrease　in　suction　between　particles.　The　results　demonstrate　the　capacity　of　the　X-ray　CT　technique　to　investigate　the　evolution　of　cracks　during　D-W　paths.