ABSTRACT The results of laboratory studies on the uplift behaviour of short piles in uniform sands are presented. Smooth and rough mild steel piles (12.7 mm in diameter) in two uniform sands were used in the investigation. Tests were conducted for dry and submerged conditions of soil placed at either of the two densities (loose or dense). The uplift capacity was found to increase with L/D ratio, pile roughness, soil density and particle size. Pile movements of about 5% of pile diameter in loose sands and about 10% of pile diameter in dense sands were found to be necessary to mobilise the uplift capacity. These values are much more than 3 to 6% required for shaft loads during push-in tests. The unit skin frictions during pull-out tests are significantly less than during push-in tests, especially in case of rough piles for which it is as much as 80% less. Submergence resulted in reduction of uplift capacity in all cases, earth pressure coefficients, however, reduced only in case of piles in dense sand and remained almost unaffected for piles in loose sands.