A modular chain element centred on a journal, this modular element being capable of constituting a chain by alternate iterative assembly, said modular element including: - a journal constituting a symmetrical axis of rotation mounted to rotate freely relative to each of the half-links 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 of the journal 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 constituting a symmetrical axis of rotation mounted to rotate freely relative to each of the half-links 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 of the journal 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. <EOS>