I live in a 3 year old high rise in Miami area with concrete flooring. Unit above me had carpet in 2 bedrooms but new owner has installed wood floors. The rest of their unit had stone flooring which remained. All rooms have 1/2 cork soundproofing. However, noise from walking (thumping like a drum) exists only under the wood flooring. The Condo Docs stipulate that 3/4" plywood sub-flooring is to be used on all wood installations in addition to soundproofing and that installations must be according to manufacturers' specifications. Some local installers claim 3/4" sub-flooring is not necessary with cork soundproofing. We don't know whether sub-flooring was used and want to know if it should have been used and how to remedy this problem which is making life miserable. The owners above us refuse to use an area rug and there is no Association requirement to do so. Our Association sound requirement must meet a 55 standard.

It sounds like you know exactly what you asociation will and will not allow, why are you not approaching them directly? If the instalation is not up to standards you have the right to file a complaint right? Anyway the only way to find out is to ask the people who live above or complain to the association.

Having inspected many wood floors in Miami;;; I've yet to see wood flooring installed over plywood sub-floor over cork over concrete. I've seen plenty of floating floors installed over cork underlayment.
The sound you describe is different than normally heard by this old man in that situation.
If every foot step is heard, I'd be tempeted in guessing something other than cork was used as a sound resistant.
Right now, we are seeing many "NEW" sound deadeners/sound retarders that do not measure up to cork.