Abstract: In order to intensivly understand the relationship between seismic wave and dynamic response of tunnel liner and search the influencing factors that affect the appearance place of peak-value of internal-force in tunnel liner, the time-frequency analysis about four inartificial earthquake waves included E1 Centro and one artificial earthquake wave (abbreviation LBG) have been carried out by the Hilbert-Huang transform.By this method, the distribution of earthquake wave energy in the time-field and the frequency-field have been provided.The results show that: 1) the energy magnitude of earthquake wave in the every frequency channel is the governing factor on dynamic response of tunnel;2) the time when peak value of internal force and the plastic strain of tunnel comes, has been determined by the distribution of wave's instantaneous energy and total energy in the time-field and 3) the positions where peak value of the internal force and the plastic strain of tunnel locates, have no relations with the type of seismic wave but transverse shapes of tunnel and the constraint conditions of surrounding rock.