Vulnerability Assessment and Differentiated Regulation of Rural Settlement Systems in the Alpine Canyon Area of Western Sichuan Under Geological Hazard Coercion: Taking Maoxian County of Sichuan as an Example

Rural settlement systems in core ecological barrier zones face heightened geological disaster risks, making vulnerability assessment crucial for enhancing resilience and sustainable development. This study examines Maoxian County, a typical high-risk disaster zone in western Sichuan, using the Vulnerability Scoping Diagram (VSD) model framework. The framework integrates exposure, sensitivity, and resilience dimensions to construct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment index system. Using the CRITIC-AHP combined weighting method and the Spatially Explicit Vulnerability Model, this research evaluates spatial differentiation patterns of geological disaster vulnerability in rural settlement systems at the township level to identify dominant vulnerability types and their underlying mechanisms. Results reveal significant spatial differentiation in vulnerability across the study area with distinct patterns: exposure exhibits an “east-high, west-low” distribution, sensitivity shows a “northwest-high, southeast-low” pattern, and resilience follows a “southeast-high, northwest-low” distribution. Overall vulnerability presents a “northwest–southeast high, central low” spatial configuration. The dominant factor method identified eight vulnerability types in rural settlements, including strong comprehensive vulnerability and exposure-sensitivity vulnerability. Based on the principle of “ecological security anchoring, systemic hierarchical regulation, chain-based risk interruption, and spatial precision adaptation,” tailored resilience enhancement strategies were proposed for each vulnerability type. This study provides a scientific basis for disaster risk prevention and control, land use optimization, and sustainable development in rural settlement systems.