A new equivalent linearization technique is proposed for a friction damper-brace system (FDBS) idealized as a elastoplastic system. The equivalent linearization technique utilizes secant stiffness and dissipated energy defined by the probability distribution of the extremal displacement of the FDBS. In addition, a conversion scheme is proposed so that an equivalent linear system is designed first and converted to the FDBS. For comparative study, an existing model update technique based on system identification is modified in a form appropriate to update single element. For the purpose of verification, shaking table tests of a small scale three-story shear building model, in which a rotational FDBS is installed, are conducted and equivalent linear systems are obtained using the proposed technique and the model update technique. Complex eigenvalue analysis is conducted for those equivalent linear systems, and the natural frequencies and modal damping ratios are compared with those obtained from system identification. Additionally, RMS and peak responses obtained from time history analysis of the equivalent linear systems are compared with measured ones.