Integral　abutment　bridges　(IABs)　generate　strong　soil–structure　interaction　(SSI)　effects　due　to　their　high　structural　stiffness　and　transmission　of　inertial　and　thermal　loads　generated　at　the　deck　directly　to　the　abutments.　Despite　an　increasing　number　of　experimental　and　numerical　studies　available　in　the　literature,　there　is　a　lack　of　consolidated　methodologies　to　model　dynamic　SSI　phenomena　for　IABs,　particularly　in　seismic　regions　where　uncertainties　associated　with　the　induced　ground　motions　render　the　problem　harder　to　tackle.　This　study　proposes　an　advanced　strategy　to　model　the　seismic　response　of　IABs,　accounting　for　dynamic　interaction　between　the　structure,　the　abutment　and　the　foundation,　including　piles　and　earth　retaining　walls.　To　this　end,　detailed　finite-element　studies　were　carried　out　employing　OpenSees　to　simulate　a　recent　experimental　campaign　on　a　scaled　IAB　model　in　a　soil　container　(SERENA)　carried　out　at　EQUALS　Lab,　University　of　Bristol,　in　the　framework　of　SERA/H2020　project.　An　extensive　dataset　in　terms　of　recorded　accelerations,　displacements,　strains　and　settlements　are　available　from　these　tests,　including　earth　pressures　which　are　back-calculated　from　bending　strain　measurements.　The　objectives　of　this　paper　are　threefold:　firstly,　the　model　parameters　are　explored　and　assessed　critically　by　comparing　the　results　from　the　numerical　simulations　against　the　experimental　data;　secondly,　once　the　model　is　deemed　sufficiently　representative　of　the　experiments,　earth　pressures　are　obtained　numerically,　as　these　are　not　directly　measured　in　the　tests;　thirdly,　the　estimated　static　and　dynamic　earth　pressures　on　the　abutment　wall　are　compared　with　the　predictions　of　two　simplified　analytical　procedures　currently　under　consideration　for　inclusion　in　the　new　Eurocode　8.　The　results　indicate　that　records　and　predictions　match　well　for　frequencies　of　up　to　40 Hz　at　model　scale　(about　8 Hz　in　prototype　scale)　and　confirm　that　the　proposed　modelling　strategy　can　be　used　in　practical　applications.　The　quasi-elastic　model　proposed　in　this　study　is　shown　to　provide　dependable　predictions　for　cases　involving　moderate　strains　in　real-life　applications.　©　2024　The　Author(s).　Earthquake　Engineering　&　Structural　Dynamics　published　by　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Ltd.