Spatially-Constrained Clustering of Geospatial Features for Heat Vulnerability Assessment of Favelas in Rio de Janeiro

Informal settlements face disproportionate exposure to climate-related health hazards. However, existing methodologies lack systematic approaches to link diverse settlement characteristics with environmental health outcomes. We develop a data-driven framework to assess heat vulnerability in Rio de Janeiro's favelas by combining spatially-constrained clustering with land surface temperature (LST) analysis. Using remote sensing and geospatial features, we identify two distinct favela typologies: recent, well-connected settlements on flat terrain (Cluster 0) and historical, poorly-connected communities on vegetated slopes (Cluster 1). Analysis of 16 extreme heat events reveals systematic temperature differences of 2-3°C between clusters, with flat-terrain favelas experiencing significantly higher heat exposure. Our findings demonstrate that settlement morphology critically influences heat vulnerability, providing a replicable framework for targeted urban planning and public health interventions in informal settlements globally.