A modular chain element (10, 10bis) centred on a journal, this modular element (10, 10bis) being capable of constituting a chain by alternate iterative assembly, said modular element including: - a journal (13, 23, 33) constituting a symmetrical axis of rotation mounted to rotate freely relative to each of the half-links (11, 15) hinged thereto - an internal half-link including an internal end hinged to said journal and the corresponding half of the body of said link, delimited in a cross-section transverse to the axis X of the chain movement; this internal half-link is a downstream half-link - an external half-link including an external end hinged to said journal and to the corresponding half of the body of said link, delimited in a cross-section transverse to the axis X of the movement of the chain, - it includes ancillary means capable of avoiding axial slippage of the journals during operation, said modular chain element being characterised in that: - the friction zones (1, 2) of the journal (13, 23, 33) with the cooperating surfaces of each of the half-links hinged thereto are dimensioned so as to make the integrals of the friction pressures substantially equal, on the one hand, between said journal and the internal half-link hinged thereto and, on the other hand, between said journal and the external half-link hinged thereto, such that the equality of the integrals of the friction pressures is achieved by satisfying the equality below: k i d i. I i = 2 k e d e. I e where ki is the coefficient of friction between the journal and the internal half-link, k e the coefficient of friction between the journal and the external half-link, d i the diameter of the contact zone of the journal with the internal half-link, I i its height along the axis of rotation, d e the diameter of the contact zone of the journal with the external link, and l e the height along the axis of rotation of each of its arms. - a journal (13, 23, 33) constituting a symmetrical axis of rotation mounted to rotate freely relative to each of the half-links (11, 15) hinged thereto - an internal half-link including an internal end hinged to said journal and the corresponding half of the body of said link, delimited in a cross-section transverse to the axis X of the chain movement; this internal half-link is a downstream half-link - an external half-link including an external end hinged to said journal and to the corresponding half of the body of said link, delimited in a cross-section transverse to the axis X of the movement of the chain, - it includes ancillary means capable of avoiding axial slippage of the journals during operation, - the friction zones (1, 2) of the journal (13, 23, 33) with the cooperating surfaces of each of the half-links hinged thereto are dimensioned so as to make the integrals of the friction pressures substantially equal, on the one hand, between said journal and the internal half-link hinged thereto and, on the other hand, between said journal and the external half-link hinged thereto, such that the equality of the integrals of the friction pressures is achieved by satisfying the equality below: k i d i. I i = 2 k e d e. I e where ki is the coefficient of friction between the journal and the internal half-link, k e the coefficient of friction between the journal and the external half-link, d i the diameter of the contact zone of the journal with the internal half-link, I i its height along the axis of rotation, d e the diameter of the contact zone of the journal with the external link, and l e the height along the axis of rotation of each of its arms.