Seismic structural analysis is based on the structural dynamics. For designing structures for seismic, the only answer is GEOFABRIC or GEOTEXTILE. It is a permeable fabrics which used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain. It is made from polypropylene or polyester or other polymer mixing. Geotextiles relatively used in many applications in support civil engg structures like roads, airfields, railroads, embankments, reservoirs, canals, dams, bank protection, coastal engg and construction site silt fences. It is used in tension surface to strengthen the soil, allow planting on steep slopes and further securing the slope. Structure is done in combination with steel wire fencing can contain explosive debris. For producing many geofabric we must have very good knowledge on chemical engg. And we must do many R & D on this for the good world.

Good introduction for Geo-textile and Geo-fabric features, but the question here is about practical method for seismic response & design of lifeline structures in general, which means method, considerations, calculations and limitations.

It depends on wath your is your problem to solve and wath kind of structure you try to design and also the kind of traffic, etc. There are several variables to take into account and the are no genereal ansers to your question. If you want more information about the use of seismic response methods you must be more precise in your question.

Practically, but a bit expensive, we can insert /reinforce into RC elements smart elements like Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) - a super-elastic material that can revert back to its original position even after deformation. These artificial metals can "remember" their original shapes. SMAs are materials that change shape, stiffness, position, natural frequency, and other mechanical characteristics in response to temperature in structures. There is no doubt that some geofabric features if attributed with SMAs will yield good results in the construction of well designed lifeline structures against seismic loads

A typical SMA wires can be seen at:

http://www.stanford.edu/~richlin1/sma/gif/wires.gif

A direct method is to place structural foundations in a RC-trough to disallow seismic force reaching them, RC-trough are designed against the seismic load in form of "slap" acting on it.