The　multi-directional,　spatially　variable　earthquake　motion　is　a　primary　cause　of　pipeline　damage　during　earthquakes.　A　comprehensive　finite　element　model　considering　soil　nonlinearity　and　pipeline-soil　interaction　nonlinearity　was　established　and　validated　based　on　shaking　table　tests　and　then　employed　to　investigate　the　difference　in　response　of　buried　pipelines　subjected　to　longitudinal　unidirectional　(UD)　and　bidirectional　(BD)　horizontal　non-uniform　excitations.　The　responses　were　evaluated　in　terms　of　the　acceleration　and　axial　strain　time　histories　along　with　the　peak　axial　strain,　hoop　strain,　and　radial　strain　in　the　pipeline　cross-section.　The　results　demonstrate　that　the　strain　response　and　axial　force　of　the　pipeline　under　BD　excitation　are　50%-70%　larger　than　under　UD　excitation.　The　large　difference　is　attributed　to　the　increase　in　maximum　frictional　force　and　the　delay　of　the　strain　growth　inflection　point　under　the　BD　excitation.　It　was　also　observed　that　the　pipeline　cross-section　experienced　only　lateral　ovalization　under　the　UD　excitation.　For　the　BD　excitation,　the　cross-section　experienced　both　lateral　ovalization　and　vertical　ovalization.　Finally,　the　existence　of　the　Y-direction　seismic　component　in　the　BD　excitation　did　not　significantly　change　the　X-direction　acceleration　response　of　the　pipeline　but　increased　the　peak　values.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd