Tunnel fire is a part of applied thermal problems. With increase of transient temperature of the tunnel fire on the structure surface (i. e. tunnel lining), the heat transfer from the surface is possibly varying transient temperature distribution within the structure. The transient temperature distribution is also possibly damaging the composition of structure (micro-crack) because of critical damage temperature. Therefore, the transient temperature distribution has a significantly important role on defining mechanical and physical properties of structure and determining thermal-induced damaged region. The damage at pre-period stage of tunnel fire is perhaps more significant than that at the other period stages because of thermal gradient. Consequently, a theoretical model was developed for simplifying complicated thermal engineering during pre-period stage of tunnel fire. A hollow solid model in a combination of dimensional analysis and heat transfer theory with Bessel's function and Duhamel's theorem were employed to verify a theoretical equation for dimensionless transient temperature distribution under linear transient thermal loading. Experimental and numerical methods were also adopted to approve the results from this theoretical equation. The heating rate is a primary variable for discussing dimensionless transient temperature distribution on three means. The heating rate of 10191.10 and 240 °C/min were applied to experimental and numerical studies. The experimental and numerical results are consistent with the theoretical solution, successfully verifying that the theoretical solution can predict the dimensionless transient temperature distribution well in field. This equation can be used for thermal/tunnel engineers to evaluate the damaged region and to obtain the parameters related to dimensionless transient temperature distribution.