Recent advances in multifunctional nanocomposites for high-performance and durable concrete in harsh environments

• Multifunctional nanocomposites significantly improve concrete strength and durability. • Carbon-based nanomaterials enhance crack-bridging and stress-transfer efficiency. • Metal oxide nanoparticles boost photocatalytic action and corrosion resistance. • Silica and clay nanomaterials provide pozzolanic benefits and chloride adsorption. • Hybrid nanocomposites enable self-healing, energy harvesting, and multifunctionality. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in multifunctional nanocomposite-incorporated concrete to address persistent challenges including corrosion, mechanical deterioration, and durability loss in harsh environments. Traditional concrete remains highly susceptible to chemical attack, steel corrosion, and thermal instability, necessitating innovative material solutions. Multifunctional nanocomposites—owing to their high surface area, reactivity, and tunable properties—have emerged as effective additives for enhancing performance. This review evaluates major classes of nanocomposites, including carbon-based materials (CNTs, graphene oxide) that improve crack-bridging, stress transfer, and self-sensing; metal oxides (TiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , ZnO) that impart photocatalytic behavior and corrosion resistance; and silica-based nanoparticles and nanoclays that enhance pozzolanic reactions and chloride binding. Hybrid systems, such as core–shell and polymer–nanoparticle architectures, exhibit added functionalities, including self-healing and energy harvesting. Key findings explain how nanoscale modifications promote C–S–H gel formation, densify the interfacial transition zone, strengthen mechanical performance, and enhance fracture toughness. Corrosion inhibition is achieved through barrier effects, electrochemical passivation, and autonomous microcrack repair. The novelty of this work lies in its unified, multifunctional perspective that integrates mechanical enhancement, corrosion protection, smart functionalities, and sustainability—an approach not addressed collectively in prior reviews. The article concludes by recommending AI-driven formulation design, improved dispersion strategies, and sustainable synthesis routes for next-generation smart and durable infrastructure materials.