PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop an algorithm for approximate solutions of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, an algorithm based on the Haar wavelets operational matrix for computational modelling of nonlinear hyperbolic type wave equations has been developed. These types of equations describe a variety of physical models in nonlinear optics, relativistic quantum mechanics, solitons and condensed matter physics, interaction of solitons in collision-less plasma and solid-state physics, etc. The algorithm reduces the equations into a system of algebraic equations and then the system is solved by the Gauss-elimination procedure. Some well-known hyperbolic-type wave problems are considered as numerical problems to check the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The numerical results are shown in figures and Linf, RMS and L2 error forms.FindingsThe developed algorithm is used to find the computational modelling of nonlinear hyperbolic-type wave equations. The algorithm is well suited for some well-known wave equations.Originality/valueThis paper extends the idea of one dimensional Haar wavelets algorithms (Jiwari, 2015, 2012; Pandit et al., 2015; Kumar and Pandit, 2014, 2015) for two-dimensional hyperbolic problems and the idea of this algorithm is quite different from the idea for elliptic problems (Lepik, 2011; Shi et al., 2012). Second, the algorithm and error analysis are new for two-dimensional hyperbolic-type problems.