Local grain orientations in a beryllium weldment have been characterized using an automatic technique
based on computer indexing of electron backscatter diffraction patterns. The results indicate that many
weld grains are epitaxially nucleated from the base metal. The number of grains allowed further growth
is quickly reduced based on their orientations relative to the macroscopic growth direction. Grains with
<101¯0>
crystallographic directions parallel to the macroscopic growth direction tend to dominate. Examination
of the spatial distribution of orientation within individual grains shows that, while the macroscopic
growth direction changes during solidification, the crystallographic orientation does not. That
is, substantial deformation of the weld grains does not occur during grain growth. Analyses adjacent
to the centerline fracture indicate that the fracture plane correlates best with {112¯0} crystallographic planes.
