Mechanical physicists have developed a quick and exhaustive methodology to diagnose reliability of complex structures enduring complex loads. This “fatigue” approach expresses the performance fading due to a complex load through the evolution corresponding to basic ones. Thus, a state of health variable named “damage” binds the load history and ageing.
The battery ageing study described here consists in applying this mechanical approach to electrochemical systems by connecting the ageing factors with the battery characteristics evolutions. In that way, a specific “fatigue” test protocol has been established. This experimental confrontation has led to distinguishing calendar from cycling ageing mechanisms.