Owing　to　excellent　re-centering　capability　and　good　damping　behavior,　superelastic　shape　memory　alloys　(SMAs)　are　emerging　as　a　potential　new　material　to　enhance　the　seismic　resilience　of　civil　structures.　This　paper　focuses　on　using　base　isolation　with　SMA　device　for　isolated　structures.　SMA　springs　are　deemed　to　be　promising　candidate　as　the　damper　in　the　base　isolation　system,　due　to　the　compact　form,　damping　contribution,　restoring　capability　and　flexible　stiffness.　This　paper　reported　the　concept　of　an　innovative　spring　which　is　made　of　superelastic　SMA　wire.　Then　cyclic　loading　tests　were　carried　out　to　evaluate　the　interested　cyclic　properties.　Parametric　analyses　based　on　finite　element　simulations　were　conducted　to　reveal　the　versatile　performance　of　SMA　springs.　To　further　examine　its　seismic　behavior　in　the　base　isolation　system,　the　SMA　spring　was　later　installed　at　the　isolation　level　of　a　multi-story　steel　frame,　based　on　the　finite　element　model　built　in　the　earthquake　engineering　simulation　platform　OpenSees.　An　ordinary　elastic　spring　is　included　for　comparison　to　highlight　the　features　of　SMA　springs.　Both　isolated　frames　were　subjected　to　real　earthquakes.　The　comparisons　indicated　that　using　SMA　spring　is　more　effective　in　controlling　maximum　and　residual　deformation　for　the　protected　superstructures.　Thus,　this　paper　well　demonstrated　the　feasibility　and　merits　of　using　SMA　springs　in　the　isolated　frames.