Villu Leppik

Villu Leppik (b. 19 June 1980) is a geotechnical and structural engineering educator at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, serving as Teacher in the Chair of Rural Building and Water Management, Institute of Forestry and Engineering since 2021. Previously he held positions as Lecturer (2012–2021) and Assistant (2002–2008) in the same institute, while also working in industry as structural and R&D engineer.

Education

• 2002–2005: MSc studies (interrupted) in Rural Building, Estonian University of Life Sciences
• 1998–2002: BSc in Rural Building, Estonian University of Life Sciences
• 1986–1998: Tartu Mart Reiniku Gymnasium

Research interests

His research focuses on geotechnical engineering, particularly pile foundations and ground–structure interaction. Work on soft varved clays in Pärnu, Estonia, and on natural insulation materials’ building-physical behaviour bridges laboratory experimentation with practical design challenges in the Baltic region.

Publications overview

Seven refereed outputs (2013–2021) demonstrate sustained activity in foundation engineering. Themes range from analytical and experimental studies on piled rafts and wedged piles under light structures to comprehensive reviews on sand behaviour and case studies of brewery pile foundations. Baltic-region conferences and journals dominate dissemination, ensuring direct relevance to local practice.

Supervision & collaborations

While he once pursued a research master’s degree (supervised by Jaan Miljan) on natural insulation materials, no current PhD or master’s advisees are recorded. He combines academic teaching with part-time engineering practice at Tari OÜ, fostering strong links between classroom theory and industry application.