ABSTRACT This paper reports a series of experimental studies to compare the influences of different moisture and temperature histories on the resilient modulus (M R) of a compacted clay. Parallel specimens that were compacted at the optimum moisture content (w opt) were equilibrated to six different moisture contents (w) and subjected to different numbers of freeze–thaw cycles (N FT = 0, 1, 3, 10) before determining the M R and the unconfined compressive strength (UCS). Specimens were brought to each testing condition (i.e. the combination of w and N FT) through two or three different interlaced wetting-drying and freeze–thaw processes. Such a procedure imposed different moisture and temperature histories on the specimens. Experimental results demonstrated that different moisture and temperature histories only result in noticeable differences in the M R for specimens tested at the dry side of the w opt and N FT = 1. The differences become negligible at all w levels after freeze–thaw effects have stabilised at N FT = 10. Different Moisture and temperature histories do not differentiate the relationships of the M R and UCS to the w and N FT. Meanwhile, the relationships of the M R to the UCS are unique and linear regardless of the different moisture and temperature histories.