Shape　memory　alloys　(SMAs)　gained　increasing　attentions　from　the　perspective　of　seismic　protection,　primarily　because　of　their　excellent　superelasticity,　satisfactory　damping　and　high　fatigue　life.　However,　the　superelastic　strain　of　SMAs　has　an　upper　limit,　beyond　which　the　material　completes　the　austenite　to　martensite　phase　transformation　and　is　followed　by　noticeable　strain　hardening.　The　strain　hardening　behavior　would　not　only　induce　high　force　demand　to　the　protected　structures,　but　also　cause　unrecoverable　deformation.　More　importantly,　the　SMAs　may　fracture　if　the　deformation　demand　exceeds　their　capacity　under　severe　earthquakes.　In　the　case　of　installing　SMA　braces　(SMABs)　in　the　multi-story　concentrically　braced　frames　(CBFs),　the　material　failure　would　lead　to　the　malfunction　of　SMABs　and　this　further　causes　building　collapse.　The　friction　mechanism　could　behave　as　a　＂fuse＂　through　capping　the　strength　demand　at　a　constant　level.　Therefore,　this　paper　suggests　connecting　the　SMAB　with　a　friction　damper　to　achieve　a　novel　brace,　i.e.　the　SMA-friction　damping　brace　(SMAFDB).　A　proof-of-concept　test　was　carried　out　on　a　homemade　specimen　and　the　test　results　validated　the　novel　brace　behaves　in　a　desirable　manner.　In　addition,　to　explore　the　seismic　response　characteristics　of　the　SMAFDB　within　structures,　a　six-story　CBF　equipped　with　SMAFDBs　was　designed　and　compared　against　those　incorporated　with　SMABs　or　friction　damping　braces　(FDBs)　at　the　frequently　occurred　earthquake　(FOE),　design　basis　earthquake　(DBE)　and　maximum　considered　earthquake　(MCE).　The　comparative　results　show　the　SMAFDB　is　superior　to　the　counterparts.　Under　the　FOE　and　DBE　ground　motions,　the　SMAFDBs　successfully　eliminated　residual　deformations　as　the　SMABs　do,　and　achieved　identical　maximum　interstory　drift　as　the　FDBs.　Under　the　MCE　ground　motions,　the　SMAFDBs　not　only　well　addressed　the　brace　failure　problem　that　was　possibly　encountered　in　the　SMABs,　but　also　better　controlled　residual　deformation　than　the　FDBs.