Nuclear weapon effects

PSI (Pounds per Square Inch)

The unit used to measure blast overpressure from a nuclear detonation.

1 PSI is a small overpressure that breaks windows. 5 PSI collapses most residential buildings and is the standard measurement for nuclear-blast damage zones. 20 PSI destroys reinforced concrete. By comparison, normal atmospheric pressure at sea level is about 14.7 PSI.

Related terms

See the full Nuclear Weapons Glossary.