Laminated　rubber　bearings　used　in　small　and　medium　span　bridges　show　excellent　transverse　seismic　performance　under　transverse　earthquake　excitation;　however,　the　relative　displacement　of　the　pier-girder　is　very　large.　It　is　easy　for　the　girder　to　impact　the　shear　key,　and　even　serious　disasters　such　as　girder　falling　can　occur.　In　order　to　improve　the　transverse　energy　dissipation　performance　of　bridges　and　reduce　lateral　displacement　of　the　girder,　the　zinc-filled　steel　tube　damper　was　researched.　The　transverse　seismic　system　of　a　bridge　structure　includes　laminated　rubber　bearings　and　zinc-filled　steel　tube　dampers.　The　bearings　are　responsible　for　the　transmission　of　the　vertical　load　and　provides　the　capacity　of　transverse　displacement　under　earthquake　excitation.　The　damper　dissipates　a　part　of　the　seismic　energy　through　plastic　deformation　and　efficiently　reduces　the　relative　displacement　of　the　pier-girder.　In　this　paper,　the　working　mechanism　of　a　damper　is　explained,　and　quasi-static　tests　are　performed　to　research　the　hysteretic　performance　and　failure　modes.　According　to　the　results　of　the　tests,　a　simplified　analytical　model　of　the　damper　is　obtained.　Based　on　the　research,　taking　a　simplified　multi-box　girder　bridge　as　an　example,　the　progress　of　determining　the　key　parameters　of　zinc-filled　steel　tube　damper　is　discussed.　The　displacement　of　the　girder　and　pier,　the　internal　force　of　the　pier,　the　interaction　of　the　soil-structure,　and　the　hysteretic　performance　of　reinforced　concrete　shear　key　and　zinc-filled　steel　tube　damper　were　analyzed.　The　results　indicate　that　the　energy　dissipation　capacity　and　displacement　performance　of　zinc-filled　steel　tube　damper　is　superior　to　that　of　reinforced　concrete　shear　key.　The　addition　of　zinc-filled　steel　tube　damper　could　significantly　reduce　the　relative　displacement　of　the　pier-girder,　and　the　displacement　or　the　internal　force　of　the　pier　changed　slightly.　The　addition　of　zinc-filled　steel　tube　dampers　will　not　have　any　adverse　influence　on　the　bridge　pier,　pile　foundation,　and　other　components.　©　2019,　Editorial　Department　of　China　Journal　of　Highway　and　Transport.　All　right　reserved.