Housing is a basic human need. Shelter for all was even listed among the millennium developmental goals therefore its significance cannot even be quantified. In most developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia, proper and adequate housing is still a challenge. Consequently, informal settlements have continued to mushroom as the population grows: Case in point, the infamous Kibera slum in Nairobi.

In Kenya there has been high occurrence of asphalt pavement failure sometime after the construction. This begs the question, what causes the pavement failure? This question implies that there are changes in stressstrain relations of asphalt materials when exposed to traffic loading and climatic conditions more so the high temperature causes the pavement to fail. These changes in stress-strain characteristics causes changes in the strength properties of asphalt thus causing the asphalt mixture to perform poorly as a paving material.

British Poet W. H. Auden once noted, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water” (Auden, 1957). Water shortage has become an increasingly crucial crisis facing many cities around the world. The demand for water is rising constantly. Lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation jeopardizes the lives of the urban poor (Zandaryaa, 2010). In such a situation, Rivers offer a great water source for many. The Nairobi River is a water source for the majority of the informal settlements where they use the water for both cooking and cleaning.