To　achieve　seismic　damage　control　design,　a　new　reinforced　concrete　(RC)double　deck　bridge　bent　was　proposed.　In　this　bent,the　upper　precast　piers　were　designed　as　rocking　self-centering　(RSC)　structures.　The　lower　precast　piers　were　designed　with　a　socket　connection　but　without　rocking　behavior.　A　design　method　was　proposed　for　the　unbonded　prestressing　tendon　and　energy　dissipation　steel　angle　used　in　this　new　double-deck　bridge　bent.　Seismic　analysis　models　for　normal　RC　and　new　RSC　bridge　bents　were　developed　based　on　design　details　of　the　irregular　double-deck　bridge　bent　of　the　Luotanghe　Bridge　in　Gansu　Province.　The　accuracy　of　the　modeling　technique　was　verified　against　shake　table　test　results　for　a　RSC　bridge　bent　conducted　by　the　Pacific　Earthquake　Engineering　Research　Center.　Then,dynamic　time　history　analysis　was　conducted　for　both　the　RC　and　RSC　bridge　bent　models　under　a　series　of　40　near-fault　ground　motions.　The　seismic　behaviors　of　the　normal　RC　and　new　RSC　double-deck　bridge　bents　were　obtained　and　compared.The　results　show　that　the　maximum　story　drift　ratio　of　the　upper　piers　in　the　RSC　bent　is　slightly　larger　than　that　in　the　upper　piers　of　the　normal　RC　bent,　whereas　the　maximum　story　drift　ratio　of　the　lower　piers　in　the　RSC　bent　is　only　47%　of　that　in　the　lower　piers　of　the　normal　RC　bent.　The　residual　story　drift　ratios　of　the　upper　and　lower　piers　in　the　RSC　bent　are　only　2%　of　those　in　the　upper　and　lower　piers　of　the　normal　RC　bent.　The　seismic　shear　force　demand　of　the　lower　pier　in　the　RSC　bent　is　evidently　reduced　as　compared　with　that　in　the　lower　pier　of　the　normal　RC　bent.　The　stress　of　the　unbonded　prestressing　tendon　in　the　RSC　bent　remains　in　the　elastic　region.　The　steel　angles　will　yield　and　dissipate　seismic　energy　while　no　rupture　damage　is　observed.　Therefore,　the　proposed　design　method　can　effectively　avoid　seismic　damage　to　double-deck　bridge　bents.　©　2020,　Editorial　Department　of　China　Journal　of　Highway　and　Transport.　All　right　reserved.