the paper Dos cortiços às favelas e aos edifícios de apartamentos - a modernização da moradia no Rio de Janeiro (from cortiços to favelas to apartment buildings - the modernization of housing in Rio de Janeiro) by Lilian Fessler Vaz provides a detailed history of the type of housing in metropolitan rio de janeiro from early 19th century, rich in detail and with housing schematics at the end of the study.  

published by the Secretaria Municipal de Urbanismo Instituto Municipal de Urbanismo Pereira Passos, the study EVOLUÇÃO DA OCUPAÇÃO DAS FAVELAS NA CIDADE DO RIO DE JANEIRO (evolution of the favelas' occupation in the city of rio de janeiro) by Adriana Mendes de Pinho analyzes the first appearance of favelas in Rio de Janeiro, the origin of the name of this type of settlement, and the causes and evolution of this type of occupation, from early 19th century to late 20th century.