An experimental investigation into the fracture and shear behaviours of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is presented. Crack propagation and crack opening are evaluated using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Visual inspection of the fractured surfaces reveals weak planes in the recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in the form of pre-existing cracks that contribute to a lower tensile strength. The shear response of reinforced concrete made with normal aggregate and RCA is evaluated using beams tested with a shear span-to-depth (a/d) ratio of 2.25. The crack growth and propagation in shear are evaluated from the strain contours from DIC. The contribution of tensile strength in shear crack formation in the beams is examined. The influences of change in the fracture surface in RAC and the role of aggregate interlock on shear behaviour is evaluated. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.