The solidity of bridge piers built on pilings depends largely on how deep the pilings are driven  Prior to 1700, pilings were driven to refusal,  that is, to the point at which they refused to go any deeper
In a 1588 inquiry into the solidity of piers for Venice' s Rialto Bridge, it was determined that the bridge' s builder, Antonio Da Ponte, had met the contemporary standard for refusal: he had caused the pilings to be driven until additional penetration into the ground was no greater than two inches after twenty-four hammer blows
After 1588, no bridges were built on pilings that were driven to the point of refusal.