  This study aims to investigate the interactions of solitons with an external
force within the framework of the Schamel equation, both asymptotically and
numerically. By utilizing asymptotic expansions, we demonstrate that the
soliton interaction can be approximated by a dynamical system that involves the
soliton amplitude and its crest position. To solve the Schamel equation, we
employ a pseudospectral method and compare the obtained results with those
predicted by the asymptotic theory. Remarkably, our findings reveal a
qualitatively agreement between the predictions and the numerical simulations
at early times. Specifically, we classify the soliton interaction into three
categories: (i) steady interaction occurs when the crest of the soliton and the
crest of the external force are in phase, (ii) oscillatory behavior arises when
the soliton's speed and the external force speed are close to resonance,
causing the soliton to bounce back and forth near its initial position, and
(iii) non-reversible motion occurs when the soliton moves away from its initial
position without changing its direction.
