Soil　desiccation　is　a　common　physical　phenomenon,　which　causes　many　geotechnical　problems　to　unsaturated　clayey　soils.　In　this　paper,　a　proposed　model　was　incorporated　into　the　original　Discontinuous　Deformation　Analysis　(DDA)　to　simulate　the　full　desiccation　process　of　a　clayey　soil　from　volume　shrinkage　to　desiccation　cracking　and　then　to　desiccation　curling　by　focusing　on　soil　suction.　In　this　model,　evaporation-induced　soil　volume　shrinkage　and　suction-induced　tensile　failure　were　separately　considered,　in　particular,　soil　suction　was　reasonably　treated　as　an　equivalent　attractive　force　rather　than　a　strength　parameter.　Then,　a　constrained　desiccation　test　was　simulated　using　the　extended　DDA　model,　and　obtained　numerical　results　were　compared　with　the　experimental　results.　The　comparison　results　show　that　this　model　can　capture　the　main　features　of　the　full　desiccation　process　of　the　clayey　soil.　Moreover,　the　influences　of　soil　suction　and　sample　thickness　on　the　desiccation　cracking　and　curling　were　investigated,　which　agrees　with　the　laboratory　observations.　This　work　aims　to　propose　a　novel　yet　simple　model　to　reproduce　the　key　characteristics　of　the　soil＇s　full　desiccation　process,　and　the　results　demonstrate　that　the　extended　DDA　model　can　be　served　as　a　promising　approach　to　analyzing　the　full　desiccation　process　of　clayey　soils.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd