The　use　of　self-centering　(SC)　devices　has　been　recognized　as　a　promising　strategy　to　improve　the　seismic　resilience　of　structures,　owing　to　their　capacities　for　SC　and　energy　dissipation　(ED).　This　paper　presents　a　comprehensive　study　on　a　SC　brace　(SCB)　equipped　with　energy　absorbing　steel　plate　(EASP)　clusters.　Firstly,　the　configuration　and　deformation　mode　of　the　SCB　were　described.　Then,　a　hysteretic　model　of　the　SCB　was　proposed　based　on　the　Bouc-Wen　model,　and　the　behavior　of　the　SCB　was　described　in　detail.　The　accuracy　of　the　hysteretic　model　was　subsequently　verified　by　experimental　results.　On　the　basis　of　this,　the　theoretical　analysis　was　carried　out　to　evaluate　the　effect　of　the　design　parameters　on　the　hysteresis　performance　of　the　SCB.　The　results　show　that　the　ratio　between　the　activation　force　of　the　SC　system　and　the　yield　force　of　the　ED　system　(ρ)　has　a　significant　impact　on　the　hysteresis　performance　of　the　SCB.　As　the　value　of　ρ　increases,　the　SC　capability　of　the　SCB　increases,　but　the　ED　capacity　decreases.　Finally,　the　seismic　performance　of　the　steel　frame　which　adopts　the　SCB　was　evaluated　using　nonlinear　response　history　analysis.　The　results　indicate　that　the　SCB　with　a　ρ　value　of　1.0　can　achieve　a　comparable　structural　deformation　response　with　a　buckling　restrained　braced　(BRB)　frame,　and　the　residual　drift　of　the　SCB　frame　is　less　than　0.2%　under　ground　motions　of　varying　hazard　levels.　©　2023　Institution　of　Structural　Engineers