Thin-walled　structures　have　been　widely　used　in　engineering　practice,　and　great　attention　has　been　paid　to　the　study　of　local　changes　that　occur　in　their　material　properties　and　thermal　stress　as　they　have　a　great　influence　on　the　structures＇　bearing　capacity.　In　our　study,　the　laser　power　density,　irradiation　spot　radius　and　thickness　of　the　sheet　were　first　taken　into　consideration　in　the　analysis　of　the　thermal　nonlinear　buckling　behavior　of　the　thin-walled　structures　under　local　irradiation.　Then,　the　arc-length　method　was　applied　in　the　investigation　of　the　stability　of　the　thin-walled　structures　under　combined　external　loads　of　axial　compression　and　laser　irradiation.　Our　numerical　results　indicated　that　the　buckling　capability　of　the　thin-walled　structures　decreases　almost　linearly　with　the　increase　of　irradiation　time　and　irradiation　spot　radius,　but　increases　exponentially　along　with　the　increase　of　sheet　thickness.　©　2016,　Chinese　Journal　of　High　Pressure　Physics.　All　right　reserved.