Two-dimensional mappings obtained by coupling two piecewise increasing
expanding maps are considered. Their dynamics is described when the
coupling parameter increases in the expanding domain. By introducing a
coding and by analysing an admissibility condition, upper and lower
bounds of the corresponding symbolic systems are obtained. As a
consequence, the topological entropy is located between two decreasing
step functions of the coupling parameter. The analysis firstly applies
to mappings with piecewise affine local maps which allow explicit
expressions and, in a second step, is extended by continuity to
mappings with piecewise smooth local maps.