In this study, a failure analysis of two-serial-bolted glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy composite plates was performed. To determine the influences of the joint geometry and stacking sequences on the bearing strength and failure mode, parametric studies were carried out experimentally. Three different geometrical parameters-the ratio of the edge distance to the hole diameter (E/D), the ratio of the plate width to the hole diameter (W/D), and the ratio of the distance between two holes to the hole diameter (K/D)-were considered. For this reason, the E/D, W/D, and K/D ratios were designed to range from 1 to 5, from 2 to 5, and from 3 to 5, respectively. Furthermore, the tests were performed with various preload moments (2, 3, 4, and 5 Nm) and without any preload moments (0 Nm). Because of the observed effect of the material parameters on the failure behavior, composite laminated plates were stacked in two different stacking sequences: [0 degrees/0 degrees/30 degrees/30 degrees](s) and [0 degrees/0 degrees/45 degrees/45 degrees](s). The experimental results indicated that the failure response of the two-serial-bolted joints were strictly affected by the material parameters, geometrical parameters, and values of the applied preload moments. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 502-515, 2009