Simulation of thermoelastic wave propagation by means of a composite wave-propagation algorithm

A modification of the wave-propagation algorithm is used as a tool for determining contact quantities in a finite-volume scheme for the numerical simulation of two-dimensional thermoelastic wave propagation in inhomogeneous media. The modification is needed to provide the satisfaction of the thermodynamic consistency conditions between adjacent elements. Ir appears that the algorithm is thermodynamically consistent except for the limiter functions. Therefore, a composite scheme is used where the Godunov step is applied after each three second-order Lax-Wendroff steps. Elimination of source terms is made following the method of balancing sourer terms after independent solution of the heat conduction equation. (C) 2001 Academic Press.