Polycrystalline ceramics have heterogeneous meso-structures which result in high singularity in stress distribution. Based on this, a progressive fragment model was proposed which describes the failure wave formation and propagation in shocked ceramics. The governing equation of the failure wave was characterized by inelastic bulk strain with material damage and fracture. And the inelastic bulk strain consists of dilatant strain from nucleation and expansion of microcracks and condensed strain from collapse of original pores. Numerical simulation of the free surface velocity was performed in good agreement with planar impact experiments on 92.93% aluminas at China Academy of Engineering Physics. And the longitudinal, lateral and shear stress histories upon the arrival of the failure wave were predicted, which present the diminished shear strength and lost spall strength in the failed layer.