To gain insight into the shielding processes in quasi-brittle materials, in situ crack propagation and crack profile measurements were performed inside the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Crack tip shielding phenomena were studied in monolithic alumina and in SiC fibre-reinforced alumina matrix composites as a function of fibre coatings. The crack in the fibre-reinforced composite samples is bridged by a row of fibres which contains a fibre area fraction of 10%. The applied stress intensity factor necessary to extend the crack in the composite materials increased 25% for the gold coated fibre-reinforced alumina matrix composites and 13% for the polymer-coated fibre-reinforced composites, compared to the monolithic samples. Crack extension in the monolithic samples and in the fibre-reinforced composites occurred after the crack opening displacements close to the crack tip approached the critical crack tip profile corresponding to the intrinsic tough ness of alumina. A hypothesis on the effect of closure stresses on crack profile shape and net toughness has been developed. Furthermore, crack profiles revealed that grain bridging in the vicinity of the fibres was operative in the fibre-reinforced composites at stress intensity factors far exceeding the critical stress intensity factor of the monolithic matrix material. The additional grain bridging in the vicinity of the fibres has never been reported and can only be revealed through crack profile measurements.