Report from Operation Plumbob regarding an experiment investigating secondary missiles created by blast waves from nuclear detonations of three different yeilds.

A reinforced-concrete steel-plate-lined vault and steel vault door were exposed to a nuclear detonation (shot Priscilla, about 37 kt, balloon suspended, at 700 ft) at the predicted 75-psi peak incident pressure level (1150 ft from Ground Zero). The vault was designed by the ultimate-strength theory to utilize the additional strain energy available in the elastoplastic and plastic ranges. Flexural and thrust capacities were determined, and shear capacity was computed. It was established that above-ground structures can be designed and constructed to survive the pressure levels experienced by this structure. The vault and door provided adequate blast and thermal protection for normal usage, and the structure was adequate to resist overturning and excessive sliding under conditions of the test.

From abstract: Two 20-ft-long 7-ft-diameter 10-gauge structural-plate pipes, having longitudinal joints with eight bolts per foot, were buried and tested in the Smoky event of Operation Plumbbob at predicted pressure levels of 195 and 265 psi. The depth of burial was 10 ft over the crown of the pipe.