In　recent　years　there　has　been　renewed　interest　on　integral　abutment　bridges　(IABs),　mainly　due　to　their　low　construction　and　maintenance　cost.　Owing　to　the　monolithic　connection　between　deck　and　abutments,　there　is　strong　soil-structure　interaction　between　the　bridge　and　the　backfill　under　both　thermal　action　and　earthquake　shaking.　Although　some　of　the　regions　where　IABs　are　adopted　qualify　as　highly　seismic,　there　is　limited　knowledge　as　to　their　dynamic　behaviour　and　vulnerability　under　strong　ground　shaking.　To　develop　a　better　understanding　on　the　seismic　behaviour　of　IABs,　an　extensive　experimental　campaign　involving　over　75　shaking　table tests　and 4800　time　histories　of　recorded　data,　was　carried　out　at　EQUALS　Laboratory,　University　of　Bristol,　under　the　auspices　of　EU-sponsored　SERA　project　(Seismology　and　Earthquake　Engineering　Research　Infrastructure　Alliance　for　Europe).　The　tests　were　conducted　on　a　5 m　long　shear　stack　mounted　on　a　3 m　×　3 m　6-DOF　earthquake　simulator,　focusing　on　interaction　effects　between　a　scaled　bridge　model,　abutments,　foundation　piles　and　backfill　soil.　The　study　aims　at　(a)　developing　new　scaling　procedures　for　physical　modelling　of　IABs,　(b)　investigating　experimentally　the　potential　benefits　of　adding　compressible　inclusions　(CIs)　between　the　abutment　and　the　backfill　and　(c)　exploring　the　influence　of　different　types　of　connection　between　the　abutment　and　the　pile　foundation.　Results　indicate　that　the　CI　reduces　the　accelerations　on　the　bridge　deck　and　the　settlements　in　the　backfill,　while　disconnecting　piles　from　the　cap　decreases　bending　near　the　pile　head.　©　2020　The　Authors.　Earthquake　Engineering　&　Structural　Dynamics　published　by　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Ltd.