When　the　SMA　slip　friction　damper　is　extended　as　a　self-centering　brace,　the　stiffness　of　connecting　member　may　affect　the　mechanical　behavior　of　the　brace,　and　the　brace　may　experience　in-plane　rotation　and　overall　instability.　In　order　to　check　whether　a　type　of　self-centering　brace,　which　is　a　serial　combination　of　shape　memory　alloy　slip　friction　damper　and　steel　tube,　can　achieve　the　expected　hysteresis　performance.　The　axial　stiffness,　in-plane　rotational　stiffness　and　instability　of　brace　were　first　described,　and　the　corresponding　theoretical　analysis　was　carried　out.　In　what　followed,　cyclic　loading　tests　were　conducted　to　obtain　the　hysteresis　behavior　of　SMA　bar　and　kinetic　frictional　coefficient　of　friction　mechanism.　One　1　/　3-scaled　specimen　was　fabricated　and　subjected　to　the　quasi-static　loading　test　and　dynamic　loading　test　with　a　frequency　of　1.　0　Hz.　The　test　results　show　that　the　load-displacement　hysteresis　curves　of　brace　are　smooth　and　stable　in　the　shape　of　a　flag　under　axial　loading,　which　represents　excellent　self-centering　ability　and　good　damping　capacity.　Based　on　hysteresis　curves,　the　hysteresis　parameters　of　brace　such　as　bearing　capacity,　secant　stiffness,　dissipated　energy　and　equivalent　viscous　damping　ratio,　which　can　be　up　to　16%,　were　quantified.　A　three-dimensional　finite　element　model　of　brace　was　established　for　numerical　simulation　and　was　validated　to　be　in　good　agreement　with　the　experimental　data.　Based　on　the　calibrated　model,　a　parametric　analysis　was　conducted　for　the　axial　stiffness　of　the　steel　tube.　The　results　indicate　that　when　the　axial　stiffness　of　the　steel　tube　is　reduced　to　20%　of　the　reference　model　in　this　paper,　it　may　cause　yielding　of　the　steel　tube　and　global　buckling　of　the　brace.　©　2024　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.