Shape　memory　alloys　(SMAs)　have　greatly　attracted　much　attention　as　intelligent　material　that　can　be　use　in　passive　control　devices　in　recent　years.　To　reduce　seismic　response　of　civil　structures,　some　researchers　proposed　isolators　and　dampers　with　SMA　wires.　The　large-scale　SMA　helical　spring　is　a　type　of　smart　damper　with　an　important　capacity　in　reaching　large　elongation.　However,　studies　on　the　superelastic　spring　for　seismic　protection　of　structures　have　not　been　reported　widely　up　to　now.　Based　on　the　stress-strain　constitutive　model　of　SMA　developed　by　Liang　and　Rogers,　a　new　macroscopic　model　is　established　to　facitliate　the　application　of　SMA　springs　to　practical　engineering.　Numerical　studies　are　carried　out　by　using　Matlab　program　to　verify　the　feasibility　and　accuracy　of　the　proposed　model.　The　investigation　results　show　that　the　superelastic　SMA　springs　exhibit　excellent　capacity　of　re-centering　and　energy　dissipation.　Also,　the　numerical　results　from　such　a　new　analytical　model　match　the　experimental　reults　of　other　researchers　very　well.　In　summary,　the　presented　modeling　scheme　can　be　utilized　to　closely　capture　the　mechanical　behavior　of　the　SMA　springs　and　immediately　implemented　in　current　versions　of　structural　analysis　software.　©　2016,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.