Knee　braces　(KBs)　are　often　installed　at　locations　near　to　the　beam-to-column　connections　in　frames.　In　com-parison　to　concentrical　and　eccentrical　braces,　KBs　have　advantages　of　occupying　less　space,　less　affecting　the　architectural　view,　and　ease　of　installing　and　replacing　if　necessary.　As　a　comparative　analysis,　this　paper　evaluates　the　seismic　performance　of　knee　braced　frames　(KBFs)　equipped　with　steel　or　NiTi　buckling-restrained　braces　(BRB).　Through　machining　raw　bars　into　bamboo　shape,　this　paper　fabricated　two　types　of　KBs　and　conducted　cyclic　loading　tests　on　reduced-scale　specimens.　The　testing　results　show　that　both　KBs　have　stable　cyclic　properties　under　loading　reversals.　The　steel　BRB　has　typical　elasto-plastic　hysteresis,　whereas　the　NiTi　BRB　has　a　flag-shape　hysteresis.　At　the　system　level,　the　3-and　6-story　KBFs　were　first　designed　by　performance　-based　plastic　design　(PBPD)　method　and　then　subjected　to　a　suite　of　earthquake　records.　It　indicated　that　the　KBFs　equipped　with　either　steel　or　NiTi　BRBs　can　well　meet　the　prescribed　drift　target.　The　major　advantage　of　NiTi　BRBs　over　steel　BRBs　is　that　they　successfully　eliminated　residual　drift　ratios　for　the　protected　frames,　which　means　the　KBFs　with　NiTi　BRBs　have　higher　seismic　resilience.