The Elastic Boundary Submodeling Method for Predicting Local Buckling Load of Complex Thin-Wall Structures

Modern aircraft contain a large number of thin-walled structures with complex boundary conditions, posing challenges to structural analysis accuracy and design efficiency. This paper proposes an Elastic Boundary Submodeling (EBS) method for predicting local buckling loads in complex thin-walled structures. The application of the EBS method is demonstrated through case studies of flat plates and wing box structures. The results indicate that the EBS method exhibits high accuracy and reliability in simulating the buckling behavior of complex structures, with errors in the first buckling load of 3.9% and 1.4%, respectively. The study also reveals that the form of preloading has a minimal impact on the accuracy of local buckling analysis using the EBS method, and does not significantly affect the calculation of the critical buckling load. Overall, the EBS method shows outstanding performance in predicting local buckling loads in complex thin-walled structures. Its appropriate use in structural analysis and design optimization can enhance design efficiency and reduce computational errors.