A continuous contact layer exists between the top and bottom layer of concrete composite reinforced floors. The contact layer is characterised by linear elasticity and frictional properties. In this paper a model of single degree of freedom of composite floor is determined. The model assumes that the restoring forces and the non-conservative internal friction forces dissipating energy are produced within the contact layer. A hysteresis loop is created in the process of static loading and unloading of the model, with the energy absorption coefficient being defined on this basis. The value of the coefficient is rising along with the growing stiffness of the composite.

A critical damping ratio is a parameter describing free decaying vibration caused by non-conservative internal friction forces in the contact layer and in the bottom and top layer. The value of the ratio in the defined model is rising along with the lowering stiffness of the element representing contact layer.

The findings resulting from the theoretical analyses carried out, including the experimental tests, are the basis for the established methods of determining the concrete layer state for reinforced concrete floors. The method is based on energy dissipation in the contact layer.

The paper presents the phenomenon of principal stress rotation in cohesive subsoil resulting from its loading or unloading and the impact of this phenomenon on the values of soil shear strength parameters: undrained shear strength τfu, effective cohesion c’, effective angle of internal friction φ’. For this purpose, tests in a triaxial apparatus and torsional shear hollow cylinder apparatus on selected undisturbed cohesive soils: sasiCl, saclSi, clSi, Cl, characterized by different index properties were carried out. Soil shear strength parameters were determined at angle of principal stress rotation α equal to 0° and 90° in tests in triaxial apparatus and α equal to 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90° in tests in torsional shear hollow cylinder apparatus. The results of laboratory tests allow to assess the influence of the principal stress rotation on the shear strength parameters that should be used to determine the bearing capacity of the subsoil.