AbstractA microstructural model of thermorheological processes during the freezing of fine‐grained soils is described. Using electron microscopy and X‐ray diffractometry, the changes due to freezing in the microstructures of kaolin, bentonite and askangel were experimentally studied. Curves of aggregate distribution and pore size for different freezing periods are presented. It is shown that there is good agreement between experimental results and theoretical hypothe