In 1989, the PIARC Technical Committee C1 started compiling an inventory of surface characteristics measuring equipment used throughout the world. The result is a comprehensive listing of equipment for measuring longitudinal evenness, transverse profile distresses (rutting), texture and skid resistance (tire-pavement friction) of pavements, the deformation of road surfaces.

The information is presented as tables (one table per device) which composed a bilingual catalogue (English - French).

Since the inventory was performed over a five-year period (1989-1993), some devices may have been altered in ways not reported here. Likewise, some of the devices are included for historical purposes and are no longer in use.