Owing　to　their　outstanding　recentering　capability,　shape　memory　alloy　(SMA)　dampers　are　emerging　as　promising　passive　dampers　for　seismic　applications.　However,　compared　to　typical　seismic　dampers,　the　inherent　energy　dissipation　capability　of　SMAs　is　often　deemed　barely　satisfactory.　To　enhance　the　damping　capacity　of　SMA　dampers,　this　study　suggests　combining　SMA　elements　with　steel　dampers　based　on　bending　steel　plates.　In　this　new　SMA-steel　damper,　the　steel　dampers　are　mainly　responsible　for　absorbing　seismic　energy,　whereas　the　SMA　bars　primarily　play　the　role　of　recovering　inelastic　deformation.　Experimental　tests　were　conducted　at　room　temperature　to　verify　the　cyclic　behavior　of　the　proposed　damper.　The　hysteretic　parameters,　such　as　strength,　stiffness,　equivalent　damping　ratio,　and　residual　deformation,　are　of　particular　interest　and　quantified　as　a　function　of　the　loading　amplitude.　According　to　test　results,　the　new　damper　is　confirmed　to　possess　desirable　recentering　capability　and　high　damping.　To　further　understand　the　damper,　numerical　simulations　were　carried　out　in　the　finite　element　(FE)　analysis　software　ABAQUS.　The　numerical　results　validated　the　experimental　data.　Based　on　the　calibrated　FE　model,　the　thickness　of　the　bending　steel　plate　of　the　steel　damper　and　the　diameter　of　the　SMA　bars　were　varied　in　the　parametric　analysis　to　examine　its　effect　on　the　recentering　tendency　and　damping　mechanism.