A civil engineer is tasked with designing a bridge to span a river in a seismic zone. Which of the following design considerations would be most critical to ensure the bridge's resilience against seismic forces?

A$)$ Material selection for the bridge deck.

B$)$ Height of the bridge pylons.

C$)$ Foundation type and depth.

D$)$ Length of the bridge span.

E$)$ Design of expansion joints.