In　order　to　study　mechanical　properties　of　a　new-style　combined　steel　lead　damper　(NCSLD)　and　improve　its　energy　dissipation　capacity,　an　electro-hydraulic　servo　press-shear　machine　was　employed　to　conduct　the　performance　tests　of　NCSLD.　ANSYS　entity　modeling　method　was　used　for　massive　numerical　analyses　of　NCSLD.　Comparison　between　performance　tests　and　numerical　analyses　was　carried　out.　Relationship　between　hysteretic　characteristic　parameters　of　NCSLD　and　its　six　geometric　parameters　was　studied,　and　the　formulae　between　them　were　regressed.　The　criterion　and　its　additional　condition　for　the　performance　evaluation　of　the　damper　were　put　forward.　Uniform　design　method　and　genetic　algorithm　were　used　to　optimize　the　six　geometric　parameters　of　NCSLD　according　to　the　criterion.　Results　indicate　that　the　outcome　of　the　genetic　algorithm　is　better　than　that　of　the　uniform　design　method,　and　a　series　of　NCSLDs　with　good　performance　are　obtained.