Retaining walls and basements in Morocco: seismic rules, waterproofing standards and acceptance

Basement walls and retaining structures in Morocco are designed under the seismic code RPS 2000 (2011 version), taking the commune's zone from the zoning revised by Decree No. 2-24-766 and its joint order. Because they hold back soil and often water, they combine two families of mandatory products: reinforcement and concrete (NM 01.4.096, NM 01.4.097, NM 10.1.008) and watertightness components, namely rubber waterstops (NM 05.2.520) and flexible damp-proof sheets. The geotechnical report drives the whole design, and the buried walls are accepted before they are backfilled.

Scope

This page deals with walls built against the ground: basement walls, retaining walls around a plot or a ramp, and the waterproofing, drainage and top slab that go with an underground level. It also touches on temporary support of the excavation, such as sheet piling, when the plot is tight.

Work starts from a geotechnical report that describes the groundwater and the thrust of the soil, and ends when the basement has been accepted, its waterproofing protected and the backfill placed. Ordinary shallow foundations are explained on the foundations page; the frame above ground on the structure page.

Regulatory table

Reference, edition, status, the text that makes the rule mandatory and the verified source (standards catalogue 2026-10-25; NM statuses checked against the official list of the Ministry of Industry and Trade).

ReferenceEditionStatusText making it mandatorySourceNote
Décret n° 2-02-177 du 22/02/2002
Règlement de construction parasismique RPS 2000 version 2011
version consolidée du décret au 11/11/2024mandatoryThe text itself (published in the Official Bulletin)full textSeismic design of buried walls and of the basement box that anchors the building.
Décret n° 2-24-766 du 22/10/2024
Modification du décret 2-02-177 (RPS 2000) — révision du zonage sismique
2024mandatoryThe text itself (published in the Official Bulletin)full textAmendment that redistributed the communes between seismic zones after the Al Haouz earthquake.
Annexe du RPS 2000 version 2011
Zonage sismique par commune
2024-2025mandatoryThe text itself (published in the Official Bulletin)Habitat + Équipement + IntérieurJoint order listing the zone of each commune: an input datum for every basement design.
NM 01.4.096
Produits sidérurgiques — Armatures pour béton armé — barres et couronnes HA non soudables
NM 01.4.096-2015mandatoryDécision/arrêté d'homologation n° 746-15, certification NM exigéeMCINET listHigh-bond bars for the walls and raft; mandatory, with marking checked at delivery.
NM 01.4.097
Produits sidérurgiques — Armatures pour béton armé — barres et couronnes HA soudables
NM 01.4.097-2013mandatoryDécision/arrêté d'homologation n° 366-13, certification NM exigéeMCINET listWeldable high-bond bars; mandatory, delivery checks as for other reinforcement.
NM 10.1.008
Bétons — spécification, performances, production et conformité
NM 10.1.008-2009mandatoryDécision/arrêté d'homologation n° 1074-09MCINET listConcrete specification and conformity, including the exposure classes relevant to wet ground; mandatory.
NM 05.2.520
Bandes d’arrêt d’eau - Produits en caoutchouc – Spécifications
NM 05.2.520-2005mandatoryDécision/arrêté d'homologation n° 277-05MCINET listRubber waterstops for construction joints in walls and slabs; mandatory.
NM EN 13969 / 13970 / 13967 / 14909 / 14967
Feuilles souples d'étanchéité (remontées d'humidité, pare-vapeur, barrières capillaires)
NM EN 13969:2020 ; NM EN 13970:2020 ; NM EN 13967:2020 ; NM EN 14909:2020 ; NM EN 14967:2020mandatoryDécision/arrêté d'homologation n° 3007-20MCINET listFlexible sheets against rising damp and capillary barriers; mandatory.
NM 10.1.003
Bétons — classification des environnements agressifs
1993approved—IMANORClassification of aggressive environments, useful when the soil report flags sulphates or saline water; homologated.
NM EN 10248-1
Palplanches laminees à chaud en aciers non allies Partie 1 : Conditions techniques de livraison
2016approved—IMANORHot-rolled steel sheet piles; homologated reference if temporary or permanent sheet piling is used.

Materials and documents to request

MaterialStandardsSupporting documentsBasis
Reinforcing steel for walls and raftNM 01.4.096, NM 01.4.097NM certificate from the mill and delivery note with grade and batch; marking on the bars checked when unloading.Legal obligation
Concrete for buried wallsNM 10.1.008Mix designation with the exposure class the structural engineer chose for the ground conditions, shown on every delivery ticket.Specification (CPS) requirement
Waterstops at construction jointsNM 05.2.520Product reference and standard on the delivery note; placement photographed before each pour.Legal obligation
Damp-proof membrane and drainage layerNM EN 13969 / 13970 / 13967 / 14909 / 14967Data sheet of the membrane, lap and upstand details approved by the architect, and photos before backfilling.Specification (CPS) requirement

Who does what

PartyRole
Geotechnical engineerMeasures groundwater, characterises the soil and gives the parameters for earth pressure and for any temporary support.
Structural engineering consultancy (BET)Designs the walls, raft and top slab under RPS 2000, chooses the concrete exposure class and specifies joint and waterstop positions.
ArchitectDetails waterproofing, drainage and ventilation of the underground level, and accepts the basement with the structural engineer.
Inspection body (where appointed)Reviews the design of retaining structures and attends the hold points before pouring and before backfill.
Structural contractorBuilds in sequence, keeps the excavation stable, places waterstops and membrane as detailed, and asks for acceptance before covering anything.

Inspection milestones

  1. Geotechnical survey Specification (CPS) requirement
    Groundwater level, soil parameters and aggressiveness of the ground reported before the basement design begins.
  2. Structure designed and approved by the inspection body Specification (CPS) requirement
    Calculation note and reinforcement drawings for buried walls complete, including joint layout and waterstops, reviewed by the inspection body where appointed.
    Standards to check at this milestone: NM 01.4.097
  3. Basement and buried walls accepted Specification (CPS) requirement
    Walls, waterproofing, drainage and basement top slab accepted, with photos of the membrane taken before any backfill.
  4. Substructure completed Good practice
    Backfill placed in layers against cured walls, drainage outlet working, basement dry after the first heavy rain.

Common non-conformities and follow-up

FindingAction
Water seeps through a construction joint once the basement is enclosed.Locate the leak, check whether the waterstop was placed, and treat it by injection or internal tanking as the structural engineer and architect agree.
Membrane torn or left without protection before backfilling.Repair with the manufacturer's method, add the protection board and re-inspect before any soil is placed.
Excavation face collapses before the wall is built.Clear the area, secure the face as the geotechnical engineer specifies, and check neighbouring structures.
Backfill pushed in with heavy plant against a fresh wall.Stop, ask the structural engineer to assess the wall, and restart only with the sequence and equipment approved.

Frequently asked questions

Is a soil report essential for a basement?

Yes. Without groundwater data and soil parameters, neither the wall design nor the waterproofing choice can be justified.

Which waterproofing products are mandatory in Morocco for basements?

Rubber waterstops (NM 05.2.520) and the flexible sheets against rising damp grouped under NM EN 13969 / 13970 / 13967 / 14909 / 14967 are of mandatory application.

Does the seismic code apply to retaining walls?

Yes. RPS 2000 covers the whole building, including its underground box, and the commune's zone has to be checked against the zoning revised in 2024.

When can a basement wall be backfilled?

Only after the walls, membrane and drainage have been accepted and photographed, and once the structural engineer confirms the walls can take the soil pressure.

Are sheet piles covered by a mandatory standard?

The sheet pile standards in the catalogue are homologated, not mandatory; they bind the contractor only if the CPS names them.

Sources, author and revisions

Written by , architect · under review · updated . Professional reading, separate from the text of the standard: each requirement is classed as a legal obligation, a specification (CPS) requirement or good practice.

Revision log

All standards for this trade (135)

In short: for the "Retaining walls & basement" trade, the library lists 7 Moroccan regulation(s), 8 mandatory Moroccan standard(s), 15 approved NM and 67 foreign reference(s) used as equivalents.

Moroccan regulations (7)

Mandatory Moroccan standards (NM) (8)

Approved Moroccan standards (NM, voluntary) (15)

Eurocodes (34)

European and French standards (EN, NF, DTU) (26)

and 1 more: full list, filters and related texts in the standards library of your account (free). Create my free account →

Other jurisdictions (equivalents) (7)

Cross-cutting texts (all trades) (38)

2026 reference prices — Retaining walls & basement

Public reference prices from the CITURBAREA materials library (October 2026), in dirhams excluding VAT; 20% VAT on top (incl. VAT = excl. VAT × 1.2), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra base. These are benchmarks, not supplier prices.

MaterialFrom (excl. VAT)From (incl. VAT)Range excl. VATReliability
Acier HA Fe E500 (tous diamètres)7,5 DH / kg9 DH / kg7,5 DH – 8,34 DHB
Béton de propreté / BPE B15625 DH / m³750 DH / m³625 DH – 750 DHC (indicative)
Béton prêt à l'emploi B25 (C25/30)708 DH / m³850 DH / m³708 DH – 917 DHC (indicative)
Béton prêt à l'emploi B30 (C30/37)766 DH / m³919 DH / m³766 DH – 1 042 DHC (indicative)
Bitume oxydé25 DH / kg30 DH / kg25 DH – 25 DHC (indicative)
Bois de coffrage (bastaings, chevrons)2 083 DH / m³2 500 DH / m³2 083 DH – 3 750 DHC (indicative)
Contreplaqué de coffrage CTBX 18 mm70,83 DH / m²85 DH / m²70,83 DH – 100 DHC (indicative)
Drain agricole / géodrain20,83 DH / ml25 DH / ml20,83 DH – 20,84 DHC (indicative)
Enduit hydrofuge de cuvelage27,63 DH / kg33,16 DH / kg27,63 DH – 28,47 DHC (indicative)
Étai métallique réglable133 DH / u160 DH / u133 DH – 209 DHC (indicative)

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