the u.s. army currently has a large number of fabric reinforced elastomer tanks ranging in size from 100 to 210,000 gallons used for storage of fuels and other liquids in the field. collapsible fuel tanks may be required to hold hydrocarbon fuels such as jps, diesel, and gasoline for long periods of time under adverse conditions. the elastomer usually used as the coating material on these tanks is a polyester urethane. polyester urethanes are inherently resistant to fuels and abrasion, but they are susceptible to attack by water (hydrolysis) and ultraviolet radiation. protective ingredients are added to these urethanes to protect them from those types of deterioration. the coated fabric materials used in these collapsible fuel tanks are tested to conform to military specifications, but in field use they have prematurely failed. the purpose of this work was to determine whether an extractive process was taking place with the urethane elastomer used on coated fabric bulk fuel collapsible tanks the elastomer's degradation was monitored by the degree of deterioration of the elastomer's physical properties