<p>This study investigates the damage effects and residual structural strength of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates under multi-factor coupled lightning strikes, combining numerical simulations and experimental methods. An electro-thermal-chemical coupling model was developed to simulate lightning damage under varying layup angles, lightning current peaks (7.6–100 kA), different thickness and grounding conditions. Experimental validation was conducted via a lightning current A-component generator and residual tensile strength tests. The results show that the damage area is directly proportional to the current size, showing rapid expansion at the peak value. When the current peak reaches 46 kA, the damage area reaches 2738.4&#xa0;mm². The single ground will lead to the asymmetric damage of carbon fiber laminates, and the damage on the grounding side will increase by 53.5%, but the total area is similar to the two-side ground. The residual tensile strength of carbon fiber laminates decreased significantly with the increase of current. At the peak of 45 kA current, the residual tensile strength decreased by 39%. The simulation accurately predicted damage areas, aligning with experimental results. The linear fitting was performed on the residual intensity data with different current amplitudes, and the fitting index R² &gt; 0.9. This article analyzes the correlation between conductive paths and damage characteristics, providing research references for optimizing lightning protection design.</p>