This paper presents a synthesis of mechanisms related to structure development of surficial heavy clay soils. These clay soils develop specific structural features due to wet/dry cycles and desiccation cracking they undergo during soil "ripening". There is substantial field and laboratory evidence to indicate that clay soils generaly develop stable structures with stable material properties when they ripen under repeated wet/dry cycles of climatic change. This development occurs as a result of the re arrangement on the soil particles targeting to minimise the potential or free energy.