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How do blast waves from nuclear explosions damage buildings and injure people?

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U.S. hydrogen bomb test in the Marshall Islands — nuclear weapon A test of a U.S. thermonuclear weapon (hydrogen bomb) at Enewetak atoll in the Marshall Islands, November 1, 1952.

The detonation of a nuclear weapon releases vast amounts of energy, approximately 85 percent of which manifests as air blast and thermal radiation. The intense heat creates a fireball that generates a high-velocity shock wave, which damages structures and harms individuals through two primary mechanisms: overpressure and dynamic pressure.12

Structural Damage

The "overpressure," or crushing force at the front of the shock wave, causes buildings to collapse when the pressure exceeds their structural integrity. For example, a typical wood-frame house may collapse at an overpressure of 34.5 kPa (5 psi). Additionally, "dynamic pressure"—the high-velocity winds following the shock wave—hurls debris such as masonry, glass, and metal at speeds exceeding 160 km (100 miles) per hour, causing widespread secondary destruction.2

Human Injury

People are injured by the direct impact of the pressure wave, which can cause internal fractures, organ perforation, and damage to blood vessels, even without external skin wounds. Common injuries include ruptured eardrums and severe lung or abdominal trauma. Furthermore, the accompanying winds can throw individuals against walls with force several times that of gravity.32