Hittin' it the right way.
That would be better represented by another skill or attribute check. Like
Code:
int <10? TotalStrength = Strength/2 : TotalStrength = Strength;
construction > 3? TotalStrength = TotalStrength * 2 : TotalStrength = TotalStrength;
That, however, may be a bit too much detail for this game. Thing it, you don't get steadily better at breaking down things with your bare hands. Either ou have an idea of where to better hit it (which depnds on you knowing what you are dealing with), or you don't. There is some skill as to how you use strength, such as putting pressure on your back, on your shoulders, putting your hip to it. But your overall capacity to break down something is still governed by your strength.
"Strength" isn't really a sense-making thing either; I'm not particularly strong, but given the right tools and enough time I could break down a door.
Well, I can see they allowing you to use a crowbar with this skill. But still, someone stronger would still be able to get a sturdier door down then.
They're not going full-sim, nor would very many people even want a full-sim.
The question isn't "full-sim". The question is whether they create a sense of reality you can use to make assumptions, plans and guesses on. If they manage to do this, you can challenge the player with their understanding of the world to come up with plans. Stuff like "Gee, I can usemy strength to tear down doors, I guess I could use strength on the windows too. Oh, look, it woks!", or "Well, that toxic gloop is covering the way, but I was able to synthetize an antidote to one of the sick people back in town. Maybe I can synthetize a lot and clear up the way instead of dealing with the radscorpions in the other path".
This stuff is as gamist as they come, but it is the gamism of the 70s and early 80s, not the modern games that are built to have a self contained logic you need to use to find an optimal solution.
