Abstract: The design principle of an electrorheological isolator for adjustable hysteresis modeling is put forward with its basic performance analyzed. Then, a single-layer electrorheological device and electrorheological isolator for adjustable hysteresis modeling are designed with performance analysis, and four types of hysteretic damping force models of the two dampers are therefore developed through numerical simulation, i.e. quasi-friction model, displacement-limit I model, displacement-limit II model and quasi-viscous model. Effects of the parameters in those models are discussed. The results show that the mechanical properties of isolator can be controlled easily by changing the types of the hysteretic damping force models through regulating the functional relation between external electric field intensity and shear deformation of plate electrodes, thus obtaining the isolators with different hysteretic performance. Keeping other parameters constant, increasing the diameter of plate electrodes, the parameter A or the coefficient α, or decreasing the interval between plate electrodes can improve the performance of the electrorheological isolator anyhow.