Fracture behaviors of single-edge-notched monolithic aluminum plates and glass fiber/aluminum laminates under tensile loadings have been studied using acoustic emission(AE) monitoring. AE signals from monolithic aluminum could beclassified into two different types. For glass fiber/aluminum laminates, AE signals with high amplitude and long duration were additionally confirmed on FFT frequency analysis, which corresponded to macrocrack propagation and/or delamination. AE source location determined by signal arrival time showed the zone of fracture. On the basis of the above AE analysis and fracture observation, characteristic features of fracture processes of single-edge-notched glass fiber/aluminum laminates were elucidated according to different fiber ply orientations and fiber/aluminum lay-up ratios.