A preliminary application of the digital image correlation (DIC) is presented aiming to detect and analyze crack networks which are induced by stresses arising during curing and drying (CD) of MgO containing refractory castable slabs. Surface images of castable samples placed in a specially designed climatic chamber were recorded over the CD stages with a digital camera and processed by the DIC technique to measure the displacement fields. Post-processing DIC results were carried out to estimate the length, orientation and opening of cracks in the networks. The methodology is highlighted and first experimental results are shown pointing out its future potential to better understand the effect of the physical aspects (particle size, chemical analysis, temperature, etc.) and the structural ones (slab shape and size) on processing and performance of advanced refractory castables.