The room-temperature fracture-resistance behavior (R-curve) of unidirectional silicon carbide-fiber-reinforced zircon-matrix composites has been studied experimentally and numerically. The composites showed strong rising R-curve behavior from experimental results that used in situ crack-length measurements taken via optical microscopy as well as the compliance method. A numerical calculation, based on the available models, then was performed to determine the bridging-stress function from the experimental R-curve, In addition, the effect of the residual stress and constituent properties on the bridging-stress function also has been considered in the numerical calculations. These results have indicated that the bridging-stress function, which controls the fracture resistance of ceramic composites, can be obtained from the carefully measured R-curve.