[en] The paper presents simplified rules to account for embedment and soil layering in the soil-structure interaction problem, to be used in dynamic analyses. The relationship between the spring method, and a direct solution (in which both soil and structure are modele with finite elements and linear members) is first presented. It is shown that for consistency of the results with the two solution methods the spring method should be performed in the following three steps: 1. Determination of the motion of the massless foundation (having the same shape as the actual one) when subjected to the same input motion as the direct solution. For an embedded foundation it will yield, in general, both translations and rotations. 2. Determination of the frequency dependent subgrade stiffness for the relevant degrees of freedom. This step yields the so-called 'soil springs'. 3. Computations of the response of the real structure supported on frequency dependent soil springs and subjected at the base of these springs to the motion computed in step 1. The first two steps require, in general, finite element methods, which would make the procedure not attractive. It is shown in the paper, however, that excellent approximations can be obtained, on the basis of 1-dimensional wave propagation theory for the solution of step 1, and correction factors modifying for embedment the corresponding springs of a surface footing on a layered stratum, for the solution of step 2. Use of these rules not only provides remarkable agreement with the results obtained from a full finite element analysis, but results in substantial savings of computer execution and storage requirements