Structural performance is highly influenced by the presence of local defects, such as cracks, which can ultimately lead to complete failure. It is, therefore, important to devise structural models combining dynamic and damage effects, and to develop effective and accurate methods that can be used to analyse such models. This work aims to introduce an equilibrium-based finite element formulation for the free-vibration analysis of multi-cracked Euler-Bernoulli beam structures. The cracks are modelled based on the so-called discrete spring model, in which a crack is taken into account by considering a generalized Dirac delta function into the beam’s bending flexibility. The developed formulation is used to analyse several numerical tests, in which natural frequencies and vibration modes of both undamaged and cracked beams are obtained, and its effectiveness and accuracy are assessed and discussed.