U-shaped　steel　plates　(USPs)　can　be　used　for　displacement　restraining　devices　or　dampers.　Single　push　and　push-pull　static　tests　of　four　kinds　of　USP　made　by　mild　steel　or　hardened　steel　were　completed.　The　tests　show　that　thick　USPs　made　by　hardened　steel　fracture　easily.　Hardened　steel　USPs　provide　greater　yield　load　and　yield　displacement　and　are　more　suitable　for　displacement　restraining　devices　than　mild　steel　ones.　Hysteresis　curves　of　hardened　steel　USPs　showed　typical　spindle　shape,　and　the　load　increased　significantly　after　yielding.　Hysteresis　curves　of　mild　steel　USPs　are　parallelograms,　and　the　load　increased　a　little　after　yielding.　Formulae　of　yield　load,　yield　displacement　and　elastic　stiffness　for　laminated　U-shaped　steel　plates　(LUSP)　are　derived.　Four　USPs　and　four　LUSPs　were　designed　and　analyzed　by　Abaqus.　The　calculation　of　finite　element　fits　the　theory　well.　The　ratios　of　LUSP　to　USP　in　terms　of　elastic　stiffness,　yield　load　and　yield　displacement　are　1/n2,　1/n　and　n,　respectively.　©　2016,　Engineering　Mechanics　Press.　All　right　reserved.