<p>Strong orthogonal arrays (SOAs) represent a novel category of space-filling designs ideal for computer experiments due to their superior stratifications compared to traditional orthogonal arrays. This paper explores the space-filling properties of SOAs using the maximin distance criterion and introduces a method for creating maximin distance (nearly) strong orthogonal arrays, where orthogonal arrays play an important role in the construction. The resulting designs demonstrate improved full-dimensional space-filling properties compared to existing SOAs. Furthermore, these nearly strong orthogonal arrays can support a larger number of factors and exhibit higher distance than existing SOAs. A case study is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed designs for emulating computer models.</p>