Abstract: To understand the quasistatic and dynamic compressive mechanical properties of a kind of carbon fibertwo-dimensional orthogonal plain woven reinforced polymer mat rix composite , numbers of quasistatic and dynamiccompression experiment s in it s three principal directions (the vertical direction of the carbon cloth , and also the warpand fill directions in the carbon cloth) were conducted , by means of Inst ron apparatus and SHPB technology respectively. The compressive st ress2st rain curves and compressive st rength were achieved in each direction in a largest rain rate range (from st rain rate 10 ^-3 / s to about 10³ / s) . The experimental result s show that the dynamic performance of this composite in each three principal directions has it s own characteristics : in the vertical direction ofthe carbon cloth , the mechanical property and the st rain rate effect are mat rix-dominated ; in the warp or fill direction in the carbon cloth , the carbon fiber and it s initial waviness master the mechanical property. Two formulas wereproposed to model the relationship of the compressive st rength and elastic modulus with the st rain rate.