Materials and Structure

A two-ply non-symmetric laminate is shown together with the response to the same uniaxial stress of the individual laminae and the laminate. The individual laminae will have a larger strain when the stress is applied normal to the fiber direction than when it is applied in the parallel direction:
e₁ = s / E₁ , e₂ = s / E₂ .

When they are bonded to form the laminate, the laminate strain lies between that for the parallel and normal directions: e₁ < e < e₂ .

From: Hull, "An Introduction to Composite Materials," Cambridge (1992)