A method of probabilistic design for the fiber reinforced composite laminate under a plane stress state has been established by applying the second moment method to the maximum work theory proposed by Tsai and Wu. This theory was adopted as the failure criterion because of being applicable to the material with different tensile and compressive strengths. The fiber reinforced composite laminate was treated as an orthotropic material, and the design for the composite laminate in on-axis and off-axis states was made. The proposed method requires only the mean values and the coefficients of variation of both principle strength components and applied stress. Thus, it is considered to be simple and effective enough for practical use.
