To　investigate　the　seismic　performance　of　reinforced　concrete　(RC)　hollow　rectangular　bridge　columns　retrofitted　with　carbon　fiber　reinforced　polymer　(CFRP),　cyclic　testing　of　eight　RC　specimens　was　performed　under　constant　axial　load　and　uniaxial　bending.　The　failure　characteristic,　flexural　ductility,　dissipated　energy　and　hysteretic　behavior　of　RC　rectangular　hollow　bridge　columns　constraint　with　CFRP　are　analyzed,　and　a　simplified　effective　lateral　confined　model　of　CFRP　is　proposed　by　considering　effective　strength　coefficient　and　area　distribution　ratio　of　CFRP　hoops.　The　hysteretic　behavior　and　its　influence　parameters　of　hollow　rectangular　bridge　columns　retrofitted　with　CFRP　are　studied　based　on　fiber　element　model　using　the　OpenSees　program.　The　results　indicate　that　the　ductility　and　dissipated　energy　of　the　rectangular　hollow　bridge　columns　with　CFRP　are　improved　greatly,　but　the　load　capacity　is　less　influenced.　The　proposed　simplified　analytical　method　can　be　well　used　to　analyze　the　lateral　force　and　deformation　hysteretic　behavior　of　hollow　rectangular　bridge　columns　retrofitted　with　CFRP.　©,　2015,　Editorial　Office　of　China　Civil　Engineering　Journal.　All　right　reserved.