Two-dimensional thermoelastic wave propagation in inhomogeneous media

A novel approach to the modelling of thermoelastic wave propagation is presented based on the thermodynamics of discrete systems. The first novelty includes the representation of integral balance laws for thermoelasticity in terms of contact quantities that describe non-equilibrium state of elements. The next new aspect is a modification of the recently proposed wave-propagation algorithm, which is used as a tool for determining the contact quantities in a finite-volume scheme for the numerical simulation. Such a modification is needed to provide the satisfaction of the thermodynamic consistency conditions between adjacent discrete elements. The test problem shows the efficiency of the algorithm based on the clear physical background.