The interaction between soil and rigid piles loaded laterally is analyzed with finite difference method. There is a little difference between computational and experimental value of bearing capacity of rigid piles. Effects of embedding dimensions of piles and mechanical parameters of soil on lateral bearing capacity of rigid piles are studied. It is found that the lateral bearing capacities of rigid piles have important relation with the elastic modulus of soil

have approximate linear relations with the cohesion of soil and the friction coefficient of pile-soil interface and increase obviously with the internal friction angle of soil. But the effects of dilation angle on the lateral bearing capacities of rigid piles are negligible. The relations of bearing capacities of rough piles with smooth piles and the friction coefficient of pile-soil interface are also obtained.