Abstract
This study shows a novel numerical approach for estimation of the cell traction force on a soft substrate, appeared in the cell traction force microscopy. A depth expansion technique using the Legendre polynomial is applied for expression of a displacement distribution and deformation in a depth direction and coupled with the finite element formulation applied for an in-plane deformation. Numerical results converge to a reference solution as an increase of the expansion number of the Legendre polynomial and are compatible to the reference even with using a less series expansion number, e.g., 2. This fact indicates a computational cost in an inverse estimation of the cell traction force is more improved by using the present model even in a 3D analysis.
