A
pozzolan is a
siliceous or siliceous and
aluminous material which, in itself, possesses little or no cementitious value but which will, in finely divided form and in the presence of water, react chemically with
calcium hydroxide at ordinary temperature to form compounds possessing
cementitious properties. The broad definition of a pozzolan imparts no bearing on the origin of the material, only on its capability of reacting with calcium hydroxide and water. A quantification of this capability is comprised in the term
pozzolanic activity.
Pozzolana are naturally-occurring pozzolans of volcanic origin.