In this paper, a three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) model of push-off tests for specimens made with recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) was presented. The FEM model used ABAQUS/Standard module software. The model considered the plasticity of concrete and the concrete-to-concrete contact properties, and was found to agree with experimental data from shear transfer tests. The verified model was then used for a parametric study that investigated lateral reinforcement, concrete strength, and recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement ratio. The parametric study shows that the ultimate shear strength increases by 23.1% when the lateral reinforcement ratio increases from 0.56% to 1.12%; the ultimate shear stress increases almost linearly when the concrete strength increases from 30 MPa to 60 MPa; the ultimate shear stress is reduced by 13.8% when the RCA replacement ratio increases from 0% to 100%.finite element method (FEM), push-off specimens, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement ratio, shear transfer behaviorRecycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is an emerging sustainable and "green" solution for resource and environment problems. 1 RAC uses crushed waste concrete to replace part or all of the natural aggregate. Many investigations have been carried out on the basic properties of RAC, such as mixture design, basic mechanical behavior, and long-term behavior. [2][3][4][5][6] Previous research on the mechanical properties of RAC have shown that, for the concrete with the same water to cement ratio, the compressive strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of RAC decrease with the increase of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement ratios. [7][8][9][10] Shear transfer behavior contributes significantly to the shear resistance design in concrete structures, such as shear walls, deep beams, and construction joints. Several studies on the behavior of concrete-to-concrete interface have been performed. Hofbeck et al 11 conducted an experimental study to investigate the influence of concrete strength, dowel action and lateral constraint stiffness on the shear transfer performance of conventional concrete. Crane 12 tested shear transfer behavior of ultra-high performance concrete and presented a new equation for the calculation of shear capacity of UHPC girders. Emiko 13 performed research on the shear transfer in lightweight aggregate concrete and foam concrete by testing 14 series of precracked push-off specimens. Gonzalez Fonteboa et al 14 conducted experiments on shear transfer performance of conventional concrete and RAC with silica fume. Xiao et al 15 carried out tests on high-strength concrete to study the temperature effect on the shear transfer capacity. Some other parameters, such as initial crack width, aggregate size, and joint surface condition, are among the factors that influence the interface shear strength. [16][17][18][19] Since 1970, increasing use of computer-based methods for design and simulation have led to a better understanding of the behavior...