The design of air cushion skirt connection structures mostly uses empirical formulas, and the application of the numerical simulation method is rare. Aiming at the particularity of the connection structure, a method for constructing a 3D finite element model of a connector which considers the bolt connection, complex contact of multiple components and interaction between the skirt and metal members is proposed as an effective means of designing skirt connection structures.

Taking the skirt connection structure in the bow of a air cushion vehicle as an example, a refined model of the structure is constructed, and the lifting load and extreme conditions are obtained from the static uplift forming results of a air cushion vehicle. The stress distribution of each member under lifting conditions and extreme conditions is then obtained for the air cushion skirt under loading, and suggestions for improving the main components are put forward.

The results show that the upper edge of the hull plate's bolt hole, end of the pin shaft and transition part of the hinge are the main high-stress areas. The proposed schemes for local thickening and closed buckle improvement reduce the maximum average stress of the skirt hinge by over 20%, proving that the proposed structural improvement recommendations, especially the closed buckle design, can effectively improve the bearing capacity of the hinge.

The numerical simulation proposals in this study can be used to effectively calculate and analyze the strength of connection structures, and the improved scheme can provide design support.