Pyrolytic carbon was infiltrated into porous carbon or two-dimensionally woven carbon fibre (2D-C)/SiC particulate preforms using pressure-pulsed chemical vapour infiltration from C6H6(3-16%)-H-2-N-2 at 1273-1373 K. Residual porosity of porous carbon decreased from 29 to 10% after 1 x 10(4) pulses at 1323 K, and that of 2D-C/SiC particulate preform decreased from 30 to 7.5% after 4 x 10(4) pulses at 1273 K. Flexural strength of 2D-C/SiC preform reached about 150 MPa.