Abstract The aims of this work are to assess the mechanical performance of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) in the shear repair of reinforced concrete beams and then compare it to more traditional solutions, such as CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer), and to identify the local mechanisms of damage and failure of the repaired beams. Two types of implementation are considered: the hand lay-up in situ and the bonding of prefabricated plates. The results show that TRC performs well compared with CFRP and has qualitatively similar effects on the overall behaviour of the repaired beams. However, the contribution of the TRC is clearly stabilised, as shown by an operating model based on the truss analogy, which permits the systematic yielding of the transverse steel rebar. This stabilisation can be attributed to a localised TRC behaviour that depends on the implementation chosen and most likely on the rigidity of the interface (TRC mortar/substrate of the beam) or the interphase.