Submerged breakwaters represent one of the most extensively implemented coastal protection structures worldwide, offering significant advantages over traditional emerged breakwaters by maintaining aesthetic coastal views while providing effective wave energy dissipation. This comprehensive review examines the morphodynamic processes associated with submerged breakwater construction, encompassing hydraulic performance characteristics, sediment transport mechanisms, scour phenomena, and structural stability considerations. Through systematic analysis of over 50 peer-reviewed studies spanning laboratory experiments, field investigations, and numerical modeling approaches from 1961 to 2024, this paper synthesizes current understanding of wave-structure interactions, transmission-reflection-dissipation relationships, and long-term morphological impacts on adjacent shorelines. Key dimensionless parameters governing breakwater performance are evaluated, including the novel comprehensive parameter β that integrates geometric and hydrodynamic characteristics. The review identifies critical knowledge gaps regarding three-dimensional wave effects, climate change adaptation strategies, and integrated ecological engineering approaches. Recent 2024 field studies from the Korean east coast demonstrate that improper design can lead to severe end-effect erosion and infrastructure collapse, emphasizing the need for rigorous design protocols. Findings indicate that optimal submerged breakwater design requires careful balance between crest elevation, structural width, and permeability characteristics to achieve desired wave attenuation while minimizing adverse morphodynamic impacts such as downdrift erosion and structural undermining. This paper provides engineering guidelines for sustainable submerged breakwater implementation in diverse coastal environments.
Vishnu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.