PVC-coated　polyester　fabric　is　a　widely　used　building　material　whose　tearing　strength　is　much　lower　than　its　tensile　strength.　Extreme　loads　such　as　fire,　unexpected　winds,　or　hail　may　cause　cracks　in　the　membrane.　The　tearing　properties　of　PVC-coated　fabrics　were　researched　in　this　paper.　Tensile　tests　with　precracked　specimens　and　tongue　tear　tests　are　the　two　most　commonly　used　methods　to　research　the　tear　strength　of　coated　fabric　membranes.　The　tearing　properties　of　coated　fabric　membranes　at　high　temperature　were　researched　by　tensile　test　with　precracked　specimen.　Refined　finite-element　(FE)　models　with　yarns　were　built　and　verified　according　to　the　experiment.　The　effects　of　initial　crack　length,　off-axis　angle　single-yarn　cross-sectional　area,　and　coating　thickness　on　the　tearing　properties　of　coated　fabric　membranes　were　studied.　With　the　increase　of　temperature,　the　tear　strength　of　a　coated　fabric　membrane　decreases　significantly.　The　theory　of　linear-elastic　fracture　mechanics　is　still　applicable　to　coated　fabric　membranes,　and　the　sensitivity　of　a　coated　fabric　membrane　to　crack　length　is　lower　than　that　of　homogenous　materials.　The　tensile　mode　stress　intensity　factor　(SIF)　of　the　coated　fabric　decreased　only　by　15.2%　with　the　crack　length　increasing　from　0.2　to　0.6　times　the　specimen　width,　whereas　the　tensile　mode　SIF　of　a　homogenous　material　decreases　by　66.5%.　Coated　fabrics　with　thicker　yarns　have　higher　tear　strength　and　smaller　fracture　displacement.　The　strength　of　a　coated　fabric　increased　53%　and　the　section　area　of　single　yarn　increased　by　2.5　times,　but　the　total　section　area　was　not　changed.　The　allowable　tearing　stress　of　membranes　with　internal　and　edge　cracks　based　on　fracture　mechanics　and　design　code　were　proposed.