In　integral　abutment　jointless　bridges　(IAJBs),　the　steel　H-pile　was　usually　applied　in　bridges　to　absorb　the　horizontal　cyclic　deformation　induced　by　ambient　temperature　or　earthquake.　In　order　to　further　study　the　mechanism　of　interaction　between　soil　and　steel　H-pile　in　IAJBs,　several　quasi-static　tests　on　interaction　of　soil–steel　H-pile　under　balanced　earth　pressure,　soil–steel　H-pile　and　soil–abutment–pile　under　unbalanced　earth　pressure　were　carried　out.　A　comparative　study　was　performed　to　find　their　behaviors　in　terms　of　horizontal　deformation　law,　hysteretic　curves,　energy　dissipation　and　skeleton　curves.　The　test　results　indicate　that　the　unbalanced　earth　pressure　is　impacted　significantly　on　the　horizontal　deformation　of　pile.　The　horizontal　deformation　of　HP　specimen　is　basically　symmetric　under　positive　and　negative　loading.　Its　horizontal　deformation　gradually　decreases　along　buried　pile　depth,　then　increases　in　reverse　and　finally　decreases　to　zero　at　bottom　of　pile.　For　UHP　specimen,　the　horizontal　deformation　of　UHP　model　is　asymmetric.　Among　them,　the　horizontal　deformation　gradually　decreases　along　buried　pile　depth,　then　increases　to　maximum　in　reverse　and　finally　decreases　along　buried　pile　depth　under　positive　loading.　The　law　of　horizontal　deformation　is　similar　to　HP　model　under　negative　loading.　However,　the　horizontal　deformation　law　of　AHP　model　is　complicated.　Its　horizontal　deformation　is　between　HP　model　and　UHP　model.　The　test　results　also　indicate　that　the　hysteretic　curves　of　HP　model　are　plump　and　symmetrical.　The　hysteretic　curve　of　AHP　model　is　significantly　asymmetrical.　In　addition,　the　bearing　and　energy　dissipation　capacity　of　AHP　model　is　the　highest,　whereas　the　ductility　is　the　lowest.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd.