his paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into transverse cracking of symmetric and unsymmetric glass-fibre/epoxy-resin laminates. The test specimens were fabricated in house and were of two types: symmetric [± θ 90 3 ] s with θ = 0 °, 25 °, 45 °, and unsymmetric [± gq/90 6 0 2 ] T with θ = 25 ° and 45 °. Through-specimen-width matrix cracks were recorded visually. Testing was performed in quasi-static load (stress) control and displacement (strain) control with hold-time periods of 3 min, 1 h and 24 h. During loadcontrolled tests, transverse cracks initiated during a fixed-stress hold-time period but correlated well with measured strain. Displacement-controlled tests showed that the number of transverse cracks was not reduced by increasing the duration of the fixed-strain hold-time period. The effect of transverse cracks on stiffness was investigated and three stages of stiffness reduction were observed. In the intermediate range, the stiffness reduction was linear with respect to the number of transverse cracks. Stiffness losses at the initial stage of loading were observed before transverse cracking. There was also a reduction in stiffness near final specimen failure due to delamination and fibre breakage.