This　study　presents　the　effectiveness　of　a　new　metallic　damper　called　bar　damper　(BD)　in　improving　the　cyclic　performance　of　a　semi-rigid　frame.　The　BD　consists　of　solid　bars　sandwiched　between　a　top　and　a　bottom　plate.　These　solid　bars　dissipate　the　applied　external　energy　through　plastic　deformations.　To　evaluate　the　BD　effectiveness,　a　preliminary　pushover　analysis　was　performed　on　a　semi-rigid　frame　equipped　with　BD　devices　and　compared　to　bare　rigid　and　semi-rigid　frames　to　get　a　perception　of　the　BD　effect　on　stress　distributions　of　the　frames.　Further,　a　series　of　quasi-static　cyclic　displacement　tests　were　performed　experimentally　on　semi-rigid　frames　with　and　without　the　BD　devices.　The　maximum　applied　displacement　load　on　the　frames　was　designed　based　on　the　actuator　head　movement　limits.　Further,　three-dimensional　finite　element　(FE)　models　were　developed　and　validated　with　the　experimental　results　and　they　were　compared　where　the　results　showed　an　acceptable　agreement.　It　was　observed　from　the　results　that　the　BD　devices　noticeably　improved　the　performance　of　the　frame　in　terms　of　strength,　effective　stiffness,　damping　ratio,　and　energy　dissipation　capacity.　©　2023　Institution　of　Structural　Engineers