Stress intensity factor for an elastic half plane weakened by multiple curved cracks

•The multiple curved cracks problem in an elastic half plane is formulated by using the complex potential methods.•The integral equations are solved numerically using quadrature rule for the stress intensity factor.•The closer the cracks to the boundary the higher the value of SIF. Modified complex potential with free traction boundary condition is used to formulate the curved crack problem in a half plane elasticity into a singular integral equation. The singular integral equation is solved numerically for the unknown distribution dislocation function. Numerical examples exhibit the stress intensity factor increases as the cracks getting close to each other, and close to the boundary of the half plane.