Experimental study of the size effect on transverse cracking in cross-ply laminates and comparison with the main theoretical models

•Size effect on transverse cracking in cross-ply laminates is confirmed experimentally in AS4-8552 carbon/epoxy laminates.•The main theoretical models presented to predict this size effect are reviewed and their predictions compared with the experiments.•Except the purely stress-based criteria the available theoretical criteria are able to predict the size effect within the inherent dispersion of results.